Synonyms of cajole

cajole

verb

kə-ˈjōl 

as in to coax

to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery

cajoled her into doing his laundry for him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• coax
• wheedle
• seduce
• lure
• entice
• sweet-talk
• woo
• urge
• beg
• blandish
• soft-soap
• tempt
• palaver
• beseech
• importune
• flatter
• blarney
• overpraise
• charm
• wangle
• massage
• juggle
• finagle
• wile
• beguile
• adulate
• cozen
• butter up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• harass
• tease
• bug
• intimidate
• pester
• cow
• nag
• coerce
• compel
• require
• bully
• force
• make
• browbeat
• constrain
• oblige
• demand
• bulldoze

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cajole differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of cajole are blandish, coax, soft-soap, and wheedle. While all these words mean "to influence or persuade by pleasing words or actions," cajole suggests the deliberate use of flattery to persuade in the face of reluctance or reasonable objections.

cajoled him into cheating on the final exam

When might blandish be a better fit than cajole?

Although the words blandish and cajole have much in common, blandish implies a more open desire to win a person over by effusive praise and affectionate actions.

legislators blandished with promises of support

When is it sensible to use coax instead of cajole?

While the synonyms coax and cajole are close in meaning, coax implies gentle and persistent words or actions employed to produce a desired effect.

coaxed the cat out of the tree

In what contexts can soft-soap take the place of cajole?

In some situations, the words soft-soap and cajole are roughly equivalent. However, soft-soap refers to using smooth and somewhat insincere talk usually for personal gain.

politicians soft-soaping eligible voters

When is wheedle a more appropriate choice than cajole?

The words wheedle and cajole can be used in similar contexts, but wheedle suggests more strongly than cajole the use of seductive appeal or artful words in persuading.

hucksters wheedling her life's savings out of her

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cajole

But Pedroia was more than merely a motivational speaker, trying to cajole his friends to raise the Fenway bar every day of every season. —Jayson Stark, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025

But the tool that actually brought the deficit down was the 1985 Plaza Accord, through which Washington cajoled major trading partners into helping depreciate the dollar. —Peter E. Harrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2024

Whether Apple is successful at cajoling its millions of developers is a critical question, and the stakes are high for the company. —Kif Leswing, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2024

The bell rings for a second time and the players get up from their seats, cajole one another and walk down the tunnel, studs clattering and adrenaline pumping. —Stuart James, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025

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