coax
/koʊks/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.96 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.
Transitive verb
verb
To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man."
- "12 July 2012, Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift On paper, Continental Drift boasts a jaw-dropping voice cast, including but not limited to Jennifer Lopez, Patrick Stewart, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Alan Tudyk. But in practice, the overstuffed ensemble leaves the cast no room to distinguish themselves, and directors Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier don’t seem interested in coaxing performances that might render their money stars less identifiable."
- "He coaxed the horse gently into the trailer."
- "They coaxed the rope through the pipe."
- "I've finally coaxed the sticky drawers open."
- "Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame."
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /koʊks/
- British English: /kəʊks/