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

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

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

His arm wraps over my shoulder, coaxing me to lean into the solid comfort of his chest.

From Literature

In an instant, the man was at her side, coaxing her back to the car.

From Literature

“I still feel terrible about coaxing your ba to go to your premiere when I knew he’d hate it. I heard him yelling at you the next day. Is that why you’re moving out?”

From Literature

Time does a surprising amount of work here, coaxing starches to tenderness and flavors to meet each other halfway.

From Salon

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

Related Words

• bait
• come-on
• inducement
• sweetener