MEANING
To bring about a response through patient persuasion or gentle encouragement.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- coax a reply
- coax into action
On the page
He coaxed the frightened animal toward the doorway.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- coax
- Past tense
- coaxed
- Past participle
- coaxed
- Present participle
- coaxing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- coax
- Present continuous
- am/is/are coaxing
- Present perfect
- have/has coaxed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been coaxing
- Past
- coaxed
- Past continuous
- was/were coaxing
- Past perfect
- had coaxed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been coaxing
- Future
- will coax
- Future continuous
- will be coaxing
- Future perfect
- will have coaxed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been coaxing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: coax; coaxes; coaxed; coaxed; coaxing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: coaxes.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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