What does wheedle mean?
Word: Wheedle
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Wheedle means to try to get something from someone by saying pleasant things and asking again and again.
How do you spell wheedle?
Syllables: whee - dle
Tricky part: The h after the w makes no sound for most speakers, so pupils leave it out.
Watch out for: weedle, wheedel
Memory tip: A child who wheedles keeps asking why, so begin with the wh of why.
Wheedle in a sentence
Example 1: My brother can wheedle almost anything out of our aunt.
Example 2: She wheedled a free mango from the fruit seller with a string of compliments.
Example 3: No amount of wheedling will make the librarian change the return date.
Fun Fact
Nobody is certain where this word came from. One suggestion links it to a German verb used of a dog wagging its tail.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
wh__dle
a) e, e
b) i, e
c) e, a
d) e, i
Show answer
a) e, e. The long ee sound is written with the same vowel twice.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
wheeddle
a) d
b) w
c) h
d) l
Show answer
a) d. The d is not doubled here, though the t in kettle is.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word wheedle as used in the sentence:
With his biggest smile, Rohan tried to wheedle a later bedtime from his father.
a) warn
b) order
c) thank
d) coax
Show answer
d) coax. To coax is to win someone round gently, which is what Rohan's smile was for.
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly. Choose what the misspelt word means.
1. whisper 2. wheedle 3. grumble 4. murmer
a) to win something by sweet talk
b) a low, soft sound of voices
c) to complain in a low voice
d) to speak very quietly using breath
Show answer
b) a low, soft sound of voices. Murmur has the same vowel, u, in both halves, and that is the slip here.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which line would a child most likely use to wheedle a treat?
a) I do not want anything more to eat, thank you.
b) You are the best cook ever, Amma. One more ladoo?
c) I have finished my dinner and my homework today.
d) Please put these plates back in the kitchen, Amma.
Show answer
b) You are the best cook ever, Amma. One more ladoo?
2. If a salesperson is wheedling you, how are they speaking?
a) sweetly, hoping to get their own way
b) calmly, telling you the shop's hours
c) loudly, giving you a firm order
d) slowly, reading out the safety rules
Show answer
a) sweetly, hoping to get their own way
