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Coerce vs Cajole - What's the difference?

coerce | cajole |

As verbs the difference between coerce and cajole

is that coerce is to restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb while cajole is to persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.

coerce

English

Verb

(coerc)
  • To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb.
  • to use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in attempt to compel one to act against his will.
  • (computing) to force an attribute, normally of a data type, to take on the attribute of another data type.
  • Synonyms

    * compel * bully * dragoon

    Derived terms

    * coercion * coercer * coercee * coercible

    cajole

    English

    Verb

  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.
  • * 1722 , , Moll Flanders , ch. 12:
  • Then he cajoled with his brother, and persuaded him what service he had done him.
  • * 1820 , , The Abbot , ch. 27:
  • If you are cajoled by the cunning arguments of a trumpeter of heresy, or the praises of a puritanic old woman, is not that womanish?
  • * 1894 , , Only An Irish Boy , ch. 19:
  • He had tried bullying, and without success. He would try cajoling and temptation.
  • * 1898 , , The Battle Of The Strong , ch. 37:
  • [W]ith eloquent arts he had cajoled a young girl into a secret marriage.
  • * 1917 , , King Coal , ch. 8:
  • Schulman, general manager of the "G. F. C.," had been sending out messengers to hunt for him, and finally had got him in his office, arguing and pleading, cajoling and denouncing him by turns.
  • * 2010 August 4, Michael Scherer, " NonSTARTer? Obama's Troubled Nuclear Treaty," Time :
  • For weeks, the White House, the Pentagon and Senate Democrats have been working overtime to cajole , convince and placate Republicans.

    Synonyms

    * entice, inveigle, wheedle