coaxed
Americanadjective
-
influenced or persuaded to do something by gentle urging, smooth talk, flattery, etc..
A coaxed cat will make itself comfortable in your lap for a while, but a forced one will flat out refuse.
-
obtained by gentle urging, sweet talk, flattery, etc..
The hotel owner eventually offered us a coaxed apology after much back and forth about the lack of cleanliness.
verb
Other Word Forms
- uncoaxed adjective
Etymology
Origin of coaxed
First recorded in 1825–35; coax 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; coax 1 ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Car and Driver coaxed a 6.4-second 0-60 mph time out of the Turbo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now at the lowest it’s been since 2022, raising hopes that potential buyers can be coaxed to participate in the spring buying season.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
Once you know the order of operations, once you trust time and salt to do their quiet work, almost anything can be coaxed into a satisfying bowl.
From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026
Now it’s graduation day, when native plants coaxed from seedling trays to 1-gallon pots stand ready for planting on the crossing itself this month.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025
As her mother plucked the purple berries, Stella coaxed a half-dozen more figs from the tree and placed them carefully into Mama’s basket.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.