WordGarden.iocajole
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /kədʒˈəʊl/
US
- /kəˈdʒoʊl/
Meanings
Verb
to persuade someone by coaxing, flattery, or gentle pressure
Beyond the definition
Imagine trying to convince your little brother to share his cookies. If you cajole him, you wouldn’t just ask nicely—you’d mix in flattery, small promises, and playful persuasion. Cajoling means gently steering someone toward something they might resist by appealing to their emotions, vanity, or kindness. A politician may cajole voters with promises of change, while a child may cajole a parent for a new toy. It’s still persuasion, but too much of it can feel like pressure.
To cajole someone means to persuade them through flattery, gentle urging, and emotional appeal. It is different from commanding or threatening; it is the art of winning someone over with charm and sweet talk. The term comes from Old French cajoler, originally meaning to chatter like a bird in a cage before it came to mean flattering and coaxing.
Cajoling often involves promises, compliments, or appeals to sympathy or self-interest. Think of a salesperson who cajoles you into buying something by praising your taste and highlighting benefits. Or a friend who cajoles you into joining a trip when you’re tired, convincing you that the outing will be amazing.
The context is important: while cajoling isn’t necessarily dishonest, it often implies a touch of manipulation or pressure. It suggests the person being cajoled may be hesitant and needs extra convincing. You usually wouldn’t cajole a close friend when a straightforward request would do; you’d simply ask. But you might cajole a stubborn mule with a treat or a reluctant colleague to help with a project through praise.
So if someone leans on flattery and gentle persuasion to get their way, they are likely trying to cajole you. It’s a delicate dance between charm and influence—proceed with caution, and maybe a healthy dose of skepticism.
Examples
- 1
Family favor
Mia cajoled her brother into lending her his bike for the afternoon.
- Patterncajole someone into + -ing
persuade them to do it
- 2
Sales negotiation
The sales rep tried to cajole the manager into giving her a better deal.
- 3
Preventing action
We couldn't cajole him out of leaving early.
- Patterncajole someone out of + -ing
persuade them not to do it
- 4
Press request
The reporter kept trying to cajole a comment out of the mayor.
- Patterncajole something out of someone
persuade someone to give or say it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Bedtime
She used jokes and flattery to cajole the children into bed.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- cajoleverb
Forms
- cajoledpast tenseverb
- cajoling-ing formverb
- cajolesverb