- Today's Word
Wheedle
WEE-dul
Definition
(verb) To use flattery or persuasion to get something.
Example
She managed to wheedle an extra day off by complimenting her boss’ new haircut.
Fun Fact
Wheedle has a surprisingly gentle sound for a word that’s all about manipulation—albeit the charming kind. It first appeared in English in the 1600s and was associated with purring, soft coaxing, and verbal sugar-coating. Today, it’s common in social commentary, especially when someone is using charm to get their way behind the scenes.
(adjective) Obviously planned or forced rather than arising naturally; lacking authenticity or spontaneity.
The film’s ending felt contrived — a sudden reconciliation between characters who had spent two hours proving they could never forgive each other.
Contrived comes from the verb contrive, rooted in the Old French controver, meaning “to imagine” or “to find out,” itself from the Latin contropare — “to compare” or “to devise.” It entered English in the 14th century originally meaning simply to plan or devise something cleverly. Over time the word acquired its current negative undertone, shifting from neutral ingenuity toward the suggestion of something manipulated or artificially engineered to produce a desired effect.