coax
verb (used with object)
to influence or persuade to do something by gentle urging, smooth talk, flattery, etc..
was coaxing
-
past progressiveof coax.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Before COVID-19 rolled in, the Paul Quinn clinic was coaxing more and more students toward its mental health services.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 29, 2022
It was unresponsive compared to most laptop touchpads — I felt like I was coaxing the cursor along at times, and it didn’t always go quite where I wanted it to.
From The Verge ● Aug. 10, 2021
Harvey took the call as she was coaxing her toddler to eat broccoli - which most parents would agree is a more daunting task.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2019
I asked if I could plant a section, and soon I was coaxing marigolds and New Guinea impatiens from their cells and threading them through the holes toward the base of the dinosaur side.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 11, 2018
Jimmy Trotter was coaxing Sophie and checking on Butter, but I was sure he’d come running.
From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia
