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Wheedle vs Cajole - What's the difference?

wheedle | cajole | Synonyms |

Cajole is a synonym of wheedle.



As verbs the difference between wheedle and cajole

is that wheedle is to cajole or attempt to persuade by flattery while cajole is to persuade someone to do something which they are reluctant to do, especially by flattery or promises; to coax.

wheedle

English

Verb

and (intransitive)
  • To cajole or attempt to persuade by flattery.
  • * 1977 , ("The Wife of Bath's Tale"), Penguin Classics, p. 290:
  • Though he had beaten me in every bone / He still could wheedle me to love.
    I'd like one of those, too, if you can wheedle him into telling you where he got it.
  • To obtain by flattery, guile, or trickery.
  • * Congreve
  • A deed of settlement of the best part of her estate, which I wheedled out of her.

    Anagrams

    *

    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