coaxing
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
"With a face full of resentment and helplessness, it really looks like an employee coaxing themselves to go to work," wrote one Weibo user.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
Like Ossa, Mamdani said he didn’t need any coaxing to agree to a cat.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
Peeta's a whiz with fires, coaxing a blaze out of the damp wood.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
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.
