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.

---

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

And if you’re familiar with Martin Best, the curmudgeonly doctor with an almost permanently furrowed brow portrayed by Charles, the character’s willingness to don such a getup likely took some coaxing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

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

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

Eger unlocked one woman’s grief by coaxing her to stand barefoot on her mother’s grave.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 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

Shifa screamed too for good measure, and Razi pulled up, coaxing the ox to go faster.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• bait
• come-on
• inducement
• sweetener

---