What does "wheedle" mean?
A coaxing person.
Wheedle
/ˈʍiː.dəl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A coaxing person.
- Grammar: wheedle is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: cajole, coax, inveigle, adulate.
- Useful contrasts: be straightforward, coerce, force.
- Usage evidence: I tried to wheedle him into telling me the answer.
How to use "wheedle"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "wheedle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "wheedle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "wheedle" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "wheedle" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cajole" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A coaxing person. archaic
Verb
- 1 To cajole or attempt to persuade by flattery. ambitransitive
"I’d like one of those, too, if you can wheedle him into telling you where he got it."
- 2 influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering wordnet
- 3 To obtain by flattery, guile, or trickery. transitive
"If the worſt come to the worſt,—I'll turn my Wife to Graſs—I already have a deed of Settlement of the beſt part of her Eſtate; which I wheadl'd out of her; [...]"
Example
"I tried to wheedle him into telling me the answer."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "wheedle"?
Common synonyms include: cajole, coax, inveigle, adulate, advocate, apply pressure.
How do you use "wheedle" in a sentence?
I tried to wheedle him into telling me the answer.
How do you pronounce "wheedle"?
Pronounced /ˈʍiː.dəl/.
Etymology
Uncertain. Perhaps continuing Middle English wedlen (“to beg, ask for alms”), from Old English wǣdlian (“to be poor, be needy, be in want, beg”), from Proto-Germanic *wēþlōną (“to be in need”). Alternatively , borrowed from German wedeln (“to wag one's tail”), from Middle High German wedelen, a byform of Middle High German wadelen (“to wander, waver, wave, whip, stroke, flutter”), from Old High German wādalōn (“to wander, roam, rove”). In this case, it may be a doublet of waddle, or an independently formed etymological equivalent. The ⟨wh⟩ spelling (reflecting pronunciations with /ʍ/) is apparently unetymological.