Synonyms of wheedle

wheedle

verb

ˈ(h)wē-dᵊl 

as in to coax

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

wheedled him into doing their work for them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb wheedle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wheedle are blandish, cajole, coax, and soft-soap. While all these words mean "to influence or persuade by pleasing words or actions," 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

When could blandish be used to replace wheedle?

Although the words blandish and wheedle 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

In what contexts can cajole take the place of wheedle?

While the synonyms cajole and wheedle are close in meaning, 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 can coax be used instead of wheedle?

In some situations, the words coax and wheedle are roughly equivalent. However, coax implies gentle and persistent words or actions employed to produce a desired effect.

coaxed the cat out of the tree

When is soft-soap a more appropriate choice than wheedle?

The synonyms soft-soap and wheedle are sometimes interchangeable, but soft-soap refers to using smooth and somewhat insincere talk usually for personal gain.

politicians soft-soaping eligible voters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wheedle

The ObamaCare failure made the tax cut harder, but after months of jawboning and wheedling, the White House got the deal done at the end of 2017. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 2 May 2025

And yet, about four years ago, images of myself with flaxen hair started to wheedle their way into my brain and park there. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 4 Apr. 2025

And soon thereafter, the mirror image: Sparks switches from playing wheedling Jerry to playing upright Bram in a harrowing scene with Arnold. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

Then Fleischmann, after attending a particularly high-spirited wedding, regained his confidence and wheedled an additional investment from his family. —David Remnick, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

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