coaxed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Neutral
Quick answer
What does “coaxed” mean?
Persuaded (someone) gently or gradually to do something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Persuaded (someone) gently or gradually to do something; manoeuvred or manipulated something carefully into place.
Achieved a result through persistent, gentle persuasion or careful, patient handling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or form. Minor frequency differences in context, with American English slightly more likely to use 'coax' in technical contexts (e.g., coaxing data from a system).
Connotations
Equally neutral in both, though British usage may carry a slightly stronger connotation of gentle, personal persuasion.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English corpora, but a standard word in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “coaxed” in a Sentence
SUBJ + coaxed + OBJ + into + -ING (She coaxed him into attending)SUBJ + coaxed + OBJ + from/out of + NP (He coaxed a confession from the witness)SUBJ + coaxed + OBJ + ADV/PARTICLE (They coaxed the wire through the conduit)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coaxed” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She finally coaxed the shy child into joining the game.
- The engineer coaxed the old generator back to life.
- He coaxed the secret from her over a cup of tea.
American English
- He coaxed the reluctant investor into funding the project.
- I coaxed the last bit of data from the corrupted drive.
- She coaxed the plant back to health with careful watering.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in negotiations or management: 'The manager coaxed the team back to productivity after the merger.'
Academic
Used in social sciences or history to describe subtle influence: 'The leader coaxed a consensus from the divided council.'
Everyday
Common for personal interactions or delicate tasks: 'I coaxed the cat down from the tree.'
Technical
Used in IT/engineering for delicate operations: 'The technician coaxed the legacy system back online.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coaxed”
- Using 'coaxed to do' instead of the standard 'coaxed into doing'. (Incorrect: *She coaxed him to go. Correct: She coaxed him into going.)
- Confusing with 'coached'.
- Spelling: 'coaxed' not 'coaxxed'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for animals (coaxed a cat), objects (coaxed a wire through a pipe), or abstract concepts (coaxed a smile from her).
The pattern 'coaxed + object + into + -ing form' is very common (e.g., coaxed him into confessing).
It is generally neutral but can lean slightly negative if the persuasion is seen as manipulative or wheedling. Context defines the connotation.
The related noun is 'coaxing' (e.g., 'It took a lot of coaxing'). There is no common agent noun like 'coaxer'.
Persuaded (someone) gently or gradually to do something.
Coaxed is usually formal/neutral in register.
Coaxed: in British English it is pronounced /kəʊkst/, and in American English it is pronounced /koʊkst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to coax blood from a stone/turnip (to try to get something from an unwilling source)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COAXed' as 'COAXed' a cat - you don't force it, you use gentle, patient calls ('coo' and 'ax' for action) to get it to come.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSUASION IS GENTLE PHYSICAL MANIPULATION (e.g., coaxing a thread through a needle's eye).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best captures the meaning of 'coaxed'?