inveigle

[ in-vey-guhl, -vee- ]

verb (used with object)

, in·vei·gled, in·vei·gling.

1. to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements (usually followed by into ):

   to inveigle a person into playing bridge.

   Synonyms: persuade, beguile, induce

2. to acquire, win, or obtain by beguiling talk or methods (usually followed by from or away ):

   to inveigle a theater pass from a person.

   Synonyms: wheedle

inveigle

/ -ˈveɪ-; ɪnˈviːɡəl /

verb

1. tr; often foll by into or an infinitive to lead (someone into a situation) or persuade (to do something) by cleverness or trickery; cajole

   to inveigle customers into spending more

Derived Forms

• inˈveigler, noun
• inˈveiglement, noun

Other Words From

• in·veigle·ment noun
• in·veigler noun
• unin·veigled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inveigle¹

1485–95; variant of envegle < Anglo-French enveogler, equivalent to en- en- ¹ + Old French ( a ) vogler to blind, derivative of avogle blind < Vulgar Latin *aboculus eyeless, adj. derivative of phrase *ab oculīs without eyes. See ab-, ocular

Word History and Origins

Origin of inveigle¹

C15: from Old French avogler to blind, deceive, from avogle blind, from Medieval Latin ab oculis without eyes

Example Sentences

Prosecutors accuse Bateman of working with three of the women he says are his wives to “unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abduct and carry away” three children and transport them to Washington state.

From Washington Times

Prosecutors accuse Bateman of working with three of the women he says are his wives to “unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abduct and carry away” three children and transport them to Washington state.

From Seattle Times

All of those thinly veiled efforts to inveigle an answer are met with a stock response.

From New York Times

The show’s reductive but amusing premise is that there are two types of single men: “nice guys,” who legitimately want love, or if not, then at least a respectful hookup, and “FBoys,” narcissistic players who will do whatever it takes to inveigle women into bed.

From New York Times

To reach Peru, Dr. Koepcke had to first get to a port and inveigle his way onto a trans-Atlantic freighter.

From New York Times