Showing results for "coaxing"

• present participle of coax.

coaxing

American  

[kohk-sing] / ˈkoʊk sɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of gently persuading, flattering, cajoling, etc., to influence someone to do something.

   There was a high-spirited stallion that no one dared to ride except Ken—after much coaxing by his companions.

2. the act of manipulating something to a desired end by adroit handling or persistent effort.

   It took some coaxing with the wheel puller and a hammer and chisel, but the brake drum is now off.

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adjective

1. using gentle persuasion, flattery, etc., to influence someone to do something; cajoling.

   In the pool is a coaxing parent, beckoning her timid offspring forward and ready to catch him when he jumps.

Other Word Forms

• half-coaxing
  adjective
• uncoaxing
  adjective
• coaxingly
  adverb
• half-coaxingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of coaxing

First recorded in 1670–80; coax ¹ + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; coax ¹ + -ing ² for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coaxing

After some coaxing from family, Ramirez realized he was perfectly equipped to create mobile kitchens from scratch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

The woman crouches, coaxing the animal with sweet compliments and a stick of sugarcane she brought with her.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

The 25-year-old tech engineer has been coached by his cousin, coaxing the kite higher and higher with a twitch of the string.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026

Having helped push the American landscape forcibly into the future, he spent the rest of his life coaxing one corner of it back to its past.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026

My mother and Prim take turns nursing me, coaxing me to swallow bites of soft food.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• bait
• come-on
• inducement
• sweetener