as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
she can sweet-talk her besotted boyfriend into just about anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in butter
excessive praise
enough of this sweet talk—just give me your honest opinion of my performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of sweet-talk
Sigal Samuel, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
The producers have told Deborah that a family member should participate, so Deborah tries to sweet-talk DJ into joining.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 9 May 2024
John Benson, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
Cuban boleros, street-corner sweet talk, Mexican songs, Frank Sinatra ballads, and Frankie Laine melodramas . . .
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for sweet-talk 
Verb
After years of sweet-talking the press, the public, and the policymakers in Congress, assuring all that OpenAI wants regulation and cares more about safety than about money, Altman is not even bothering to play games anymore.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
The producers have told Deborah that a family member should participate, so Deborah tries to sweet-talk DJ into joining.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 9 May 2024
Noun
During the ride to the police station, the driver was trying to sweet talk the officer into not arresting him and instead letting his wife pick him up.
—John Benson, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
Cuban boleros, street-corner sweet talk, Mexican songs, Frank Sinatra ballads, and Frankie Laine melodramas . . .
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023
See all Example Sentences for sweet-talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweet-talk
Verb
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The numbers are vital in helping a club that historically has lived in the shadow of its bigger, wealthier London neighbours thrive at the top level, but Frank’s ability to coax performances out of a largely unheralded squad is just as important.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
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The latter caper bears fruit, as Matty and Olympia — with the help of, appropriately, a nanny cam — are able to coax one of Olympia’s friends, Lacy (Cathryn Mudon), into confessing to framing Nadira to cover up evidence of her affair with one of the other mom’s husbands.Noel Murray, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Start by melting a stick of butter with either cocoa powder or unsweetened baker's chocolate.Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Dec. 2024
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Anyone who is vaguely familiar with Indian food knows that butter chicken and chole, or curried chickpeas, epitomize the cuisine.Shivani Vora, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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People should wash any skin that comes into contact with the slurry with water and soft soap, before using a hand cream to avoid dryness and cracking.Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2024
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Most of the questions aimed at the ironic American director of Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas were less softballs than soft soap, with reporters as interested in Scorsese’s favorite food — his mother’s lasagna recipe — as the movies in his peerless filmography.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
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This story took the platform by storm, with commenters showering praise on the thoughtful husband.Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
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Despite the album’s combination of unanimous critical praise and tremendous commercial and cultural success, one prize continued to elude Beyoncé: the album of the year Grammy.Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This type of flattery is often enough to spark an initial conversation.Lars Daniel, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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Directly and through proxies, the Iranians mixed flattery, subventions, and a bit of intimidation to get their way in Najaf and Karbala, the great centers of Islamic learning in Mesopotamia.Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2015
Noun
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Boucher was on the hunt for Abba-Zaba, a chewy taffy bar with a real peanut butter center.Jessica Ma, Sacramento Bee, 20 July 2024
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The texture ranges in consistency from an oil-like substance to a syrupy sap or even a sticky taffy.Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 9 July 2024
Noun
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Conceived and directed by Stephen Sachs, this documentary drama about a family divided by the Jan. 6 insurrection had its world premiere in Los Angeles before opening in New York to further acclaim.Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
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Focus Features released it in the U.S. on October 25, following the film’s premiere to critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near sweet-talk
Cite this Entry
“Sweet-talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweet-talk. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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