C2verbrelationships
US/koʊks/
UK/kəʊks/
to gently and patiently persuade someone to do something
In context
She coaxed her nervous son into the classroom on his first day of school.
The nurse coaxed the old man to eat a few spoonfuls of rice porridge.
Patient therapists can coax shy clients to talk about painful memories.
Words that go with coax
verb + preposition
- coax intoWe finally coaxed him into joining the office football team.
- coax out ofFriends coaxed her out of her room a week after the breakup.
adverb + verb
- gently coaxThe vet gently coaxed the frightened cat from under the car.
verb + noun
- coax a smileThe clown managed to coax a smile from the sick children.
- coax informationThe detective tried to coax information out of the nervous witness.