cajolery
C2Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
Persuasion through flattery, coaxing, or gentle deception.
The act or practice of using insincere praise, smooth talk, or false promises to persuade someone to do something, often against their better judgment.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a degree of artfulness, manipulation, or deceit, though not necessarily with malicious intent. Often used to describe political or sales tactics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly archaic, sophisticated tone. May carry a hint of amused disapproval.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both corpora. More likely found in written commentary, literature, or formal speech than in everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] resorted to cajolery[subject] used cajolery to [verb][subject] was immune to [possessive] cajoleryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not a strong idiom carrier]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Sometimes used to describe non-confrontational negotiation or sales tactics: 'The deal was finally closed not with hard bargaining but with patient cajolery.'
Academic
Rare. Might appear in political science or historical texts analysing leadership styles.
Everyday
Extremely rare. A more common paraphrase would be 'trying to sweet-talk someone.'
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He managed to cajole her into attending the meeting.
- The children were cajoled into tidying their rooms.
American English
- She cajoled the committee into approving the budget.
- I had to cajole him out of his bad mood.
adverb
British English
- He spoke cajolingly about the benefits of the plan.
- She smiled cajolingly across the table.
American English
- He asked cajolingly for a second helping.
- The dog looked cajolingly at the sandwich.
adjective
British English
- He gave her a cajoling smile.
- Her tone was cajoling and persuasive.
American English
- He used a cajoling voice to get his way.
- She wrote a cajoling letter to the editor.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He used cajolery to get the last biscuit.
- Her cajolery didn't work on her strict father.
- The politician's speech was more cajolery than concrete policy.
- After threats failed, they tried a bit of gentle cajolery.
- The union leader was impervious to both management's threats and their subsequent cajolery.
- Her diplomatic success was built less on force of argument than on subtle cajolery and personal charm.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a JOKER (sounds like 'cajo-') telling flattering JOKES (cajolery) to get what he wants.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSUASION IS A SMOOTH, SWEET SUBSTANCE (soft soap, sweet talk, honeyed words).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with simple 'убеждение' (persuasion). 'Cajolery' is a specific, often insincere type. Closer to 'лесть и уговоры' or 'заигрывание'.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronunciation: /ˈkædʒələri/ is incorrect. The stress is on the second syllable. Misspelling: 'cajole**l**ery' (extra 'l').
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best exemplifies 'cajolery'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It typically has a mildly negative or sceptical connotation, implying the persuasion is somewhat insincere, manipulative, or overly smooth, though not necessarily evil.
'Persuasion' is neutral and broad. 'Cajolery' is a specific type of persuasion that relies heavily on flattery, coaxing, and often a playful or artfully deceptive manner.
Rarely. It might be used affectionately or humorously in contexts like 'parental cajolery' to get a child to eat, but even then, it hints at gentle deception or flattery.
Yes, significantly. 'Cajole' is a low-frequency but known verb (B2-C1 level). The noun 'cajolery' is very rare (C2).