blandish
verb
transitive verb
intransitive verb
Did you know?
The word blandish has been a part of the English language since at least the 14th century with virtually no change in its meaning. It ultimately derives from blandus, a Latin word meaning "mild" or "flattering." One of the earliest known uses of blandish can be found in the sacred writings of Richard Rolle de Hampole, an English hermit and mystic, who cautioned against "the dragon that blandishes with the head and smites with the tail." Although blandish might not exactly be suggestive of dullness, it was the "mild" sense of blandus that gave us our adjective bland, which has a lesser-known sense meaning "smooth and soothing in manner or quality."
Synonyms
- blarney
- cajole
- coax
- palaver
- soft-soap
- sweet-talk
- wheedle
Example Sentences
Word History
Middle English, from Anglo-French blandiss-, stem of blandir, from Latin blandiri, from blandus mild, flattering
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
blandish
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- coax
- wheedle
- cajole
- seduce
- lure
- woo
- sweet-talk
- entice
- palaver
- soft-soap
- beg
- blarney
- overpraise
- flatter
- urge
- adulate
- butter up
- tempt
- importune
- beseech
- cozen
- charm
- massage
- wile
- wangle
- beguile
- juggle
- finagle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tease
- harass
- intimidate
- bug
- cow
- nag
- pester
- compel
- bully
- coerce
- browbeat
- force
- require
- demand
- make
- constrain
- oblige
- bulldoze
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of blandish are cajole, coax, soft-soap, and wheedle. While all these words mean "to influence or persuade by pleasing words or actions," blandish implies a more open desire to win a person over by effusive praise and affectionate actions.
The words cajole and blandish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cajole suggests the deliberate use of flattery to persuade in the face of reluctance or reasonable objections.
The synonyms coax and blandish are sometimes interchangeable, but coax implies gentle and persistent words or actions employed to produce a desired effect.
The words soft-soap and blandish can be used in similar contexts, but soft-soap refers to using smooth and somewhat insincere talk usually for personal gain.
While the synonyms wheedle and blandish are close in meaning, wheedle suggests more strongly than cajole the use of seductive appeal or artful words in persuading.