If something persuades someone to take a particular course of action, it causes them to take that course of action because it is a good reasonfor doing so.
The Conservative Party's victory in April's general election persuaded him to runfor President again. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
It was the lack of privacy that eventually persuaded us to move after Ben was born. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
3. verb
If you persuade someone that something is true, you say things that eventually make them believe that it is true.
I've persuaded Mrs Tennant that it's time she retired. [VERB noun that]
We had managed to persuade them that it was worth working with us. [VERB noun that]
Derek persuaded me of the feasibility of the idea. [VERB noun + of]
Synonyms: convince, satisfy, assure, prove to More Synonyms of persuade
He is not persuaded of the need for electoral reform. [+ of]
I remain persuaded that the decisions we made last year were broadly right.
More Synonyms of persuade
persuade in British English
(pəˈsweɪd)
verb(tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
1.
to induce, urge, or prevail upon successfully
I finally persuaded them to buy it
2.
to cause to believe; convince
even with the evidence, the police were not persuaded
Derived forms
persuadable (perˈsuadable) or persuasible (perˈsuasible)
adjective
persuadability (perˌsuadaˈbility) or persuasibility (perˌsuasiˈbility)
noun
persuader (perˈsuader)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin persuādēre, from per- (intensive) + suādēre to urge, advise
persuade in American English
(pərˈsweɪd)
verb transitiveWord forms: perˈsuaded or perˈsuading
1.
to cause to do something by reasoning, urging, or inducement; prevail upon
2.
to induce to believe something; convince
Derived forms
persuadable (perˈsuadable)
adjective or perˈsuasible (pərˈsweɪsəbəl)
persuasibility (perˌsuasiˈbility)
noun
Word origin
MFr persuader < L persuadere < per-, intens. + suadere, to urge: see suasion
Examples of 'persuade' in a sentence
persuade
What would it take to persuade him to go?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But he has been persuaded to take questions on his feet and be subjected to a countdown timer.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Speedy might still take some persuading.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You will like what you see but those close to you may need persuading, so take things slowly.
The Sun (2017)
He was jailed yesterday at Southwark crown court along with two colleagues whom he had persuaded to take part in the fraud.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I persuaded Dad to buy me a racing helmet for my birthday.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We excused it as deafness and persuaded him to buy an expensive hearing aid (which he then refused to wear).
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That was what finally persuaded him to return.
The Sun (2008)
The warriors have been persuaded to take wives who have not undergone the brutal cutting.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Our captain finally persuaded our spinner to bring up some fielders.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Only one thing will persuade her to take the role.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is one that could be expanded if other nations could be persuaded to take part.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Some of his colleagues were less convinced and persuaded two of the three to try self control instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They could be persuaded to buy clothes and cosmetics and music and cigarettes and confectionery and junk food.
Bethune, Helen Positive Parent Power (1991)
Their object in public discourse is not merely to inform, but to persuade and convince.
Harris, Marvin Cultural Anthropology (1995)
You want potential backers to catch your enthusiasm, persuading them to buy you and your project.
Kiam, Victor Going For It!: How to Succeed As an Entrepreneur (1986)
Now qualified, has it been difficult to persuade others to take her seriously?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
YOU might finally persuade your other half to sit down and watch that weepy romcom.
The Sun (2013)
I persuaded him to buy a guitar while he was down there.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He was also persuaded to buy hundreds of pounds of herbal supplements, some of which could have been dangerous.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There has been a conscious move away from organisations that design products and services first and then see if consumers can be persuaded to buy them.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You will win because you have more than enough brute force; but you will not convince because to convince means to persuade.
Paul Preston The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution and Revenge
I've been crazy about this woman and finally persuaded her to be my girlfriend.
The Sun (2016)
He speaks avidly of pain threshold, proud of his ability to dismiss and deny injuries that might persuade others to take a week off.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Perhaps that is why no amount of evidence will persuade us that the job of England manager is not all it is cracked up to be.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Equally, it's quite a struggle to persuade audiences to take the gamble.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This match may finally persuade him to unveil his first-choice side, provided he has settled on one.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They bullied and finally persuaded him against the possibility of retreat, but for indecisive days the Allies faced their first major defeat.
Alan Whicker Whicker's War
Beachy Head might not always persuade or convince as drama, but its poetic rather than maudlin mood and questioning tone could stick with you.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
persuade
British English: persuade /pəˈsweɪd/ VERB
If you persuade someone to do a particular thing, you get them to do it, usually by convincing them that it is a good idea.
My husband persuaded me to come.
American English: persuade
Arabic: يُقْنِعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: persuadir
Chinese: 说服
Croatian: uvjeriti
Czech: přemluvit
Danish: overtale
Dutch: overreden
European Spanish: persuadir
Finnish: suostutella
French: persuader
German: überreden
Greek: πείθω
Italian: convincere
Japanese: 説得する
Korean: 설득하다
Norwegian: overtale
Polish: przekonać
European Portuguese: persuadir
Romanian: a convinge
Russian: убеждать
Latin American Spanish: persuadir
Swedish: övertala
Thai: ชักจูง
Turkish: ikna etme
Ukrainian: переконувати
Vietnamese: thuyết phục
Chinese translation of 'persuade'
persuade
(pəˈsweɪd)
vt
to persuade sb to do sth劝(勸)说(說)某人做某事 (quànshuō mǒurén zuò mǒushì)
to persuade sb that ... 说(說)服某人 ... (shuōfú mǒurén ... )
to be persuaded of sth (= certain) 确(確)信某事 (quèxìn mǒushì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make (someone) do something by reason or charm
My husband persuaded me to come.
Synonyms
talk (someone) into
urge
He urged restraint on the security forces.
advise
prompt
influence
counsel
win (someone) over
induce
I would do anything to induce them to stay.
sway
Don't ever be swayed by fashion.
entice
Retailers will try almost anything to entice shoppers through their doors.
coax
After lunch she coaxed him into talking about himself.
incite
He incited his fellow citizens to take revenge.
prevail upon
inveigle
bring (someone) round (informal)
twist (someone's) arm
argue (someone) into
Opposites
forbid
,
discourage
,
prohibit
,
deter
,
dissuade
2 (verb)
Definition
to make (someone) do something by reason or charm
the event which persuaded the United States to enter the war
Synonyms
cause
I don't want to cause any trouble.
prompt
The recession has prompted consumers to cut back on buying cars.
lead
It was not as straightforward as we were led to believe.
move
The hearings moved me to come up with these suggestions.
influence
The conference influenced us to launch the campaign.
motivate
His hard work was motivated by a need to achieve.
induce
an economic crisis induced by high oil prices
incline
the factors which incline us towards particular beliefs
dispose
theologies which dispose their adherents to fanaticism
impel
I felt impelled to go on speaking.
actuate
They were actuated by desire.
3 (verb)
Definition
to cause to believe
Derek persuaded me of the feasibility of the idea.
Synonyms
convince
I soon convinced him of my innocence.
satisfy
He has to satisfy us that real progress will be made.
assure
`Everything's going to be okay,' he assured me.
prove to
convert to
cause to believe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of actuate
Definition
to motivate someone
They were actuated by desire.
Synonyms
motivate,
move,
drive,
influence,
excite,
urge,
inspire,
prompt,
stir,
spur,
induce,
arouse,
rouse,
get going,
quicken,
incite,
instigate,
impel
in the sense of assure
Definition
to convince
`Everything's going to be okay,' he assured me.
Synonyms
convince,
encourage,
persuade,
satisfy,
comfort,
prove to,
reassure,
soothe,
hearten,
embolden,
win someone over,
bring someone round
in the sense of coax
Definition
to persuade (someone) gently
After lunch she coaxed him into talking about himself.
Synonyms
persuade,
cajole,
talk into,
wheedle,
sweet-talk (informal),
prevail upon,
inveigle,
soft-soap (informal),
twist (someone's) arm,
flatter,
entice,
beguile,
allure
Synonyms of 'persuade'
persuade
Explore 'persuade' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dispose
theologies which dispose their adherents to fanaticism
Synonyms
lead,
move,
condition,
influence,
prompt,
tempt,
adapt,
motivate,
bias,
induce,
incline,
predispose,
actuate
in the sense of entice
Definition
to attract (someone) away from one place or activity to another
Retailers will try almost anything to entice shoppers through their doors.
Synonyms
lure,
attract,
invite,
persuade,
draw,
tempt,
induce,
seduce,
lead on,
coax,
beguile,
allure,
cajole,
decoy,
wheedle,
prevail on,
inveigle,
dangle a carrot in front of
in the sense of impel
Definition
to urge or force (a person) to do something
I felt impelled to go on speaking.
Synonyms
force,
move,
compel,
drive,
require,
push,
influence,
urge,
inspire,
prompt,
spur,
stimulate,
motivate,
oblige,
induce,
prod,
constrain,
incite,
instigate,
goad,
actuate
in the sense of incite
Definition
to stir up or provoke to action
He incited his fellow citizens to take revenge.
Synonyms
provoke,
encourage,
drive,
excite,
prompt,
urge,
spur,
stimulate,
set on,
animate,
rouse,
prod,
stir up,
inflame,
instigate,
whip up,
egg on,
goad,
impel,
foment,
put up to,
agitate for or against
in the sense of incline
Definition
to have or cause to have a certain tendency or disposition
the factors which incline us towards particular beliefs
Synonyms
predispose,
influence,
tend,
persuade,
prejudice,
bias,
sway,
turn,
dispose
in the sense of induce
Definition
to persuade or use influence on
I would do anything to induce them to stay.
Synonyms
persuade,
encourage,
influence,
get,
move,
press,
draw,
convince,
urge,
prompt,
sway,
entice,
coax,
incite,
impel,
talk someone into,
prevail upon,
actuate
in the sense of induce
Definition
to cause or bring about
an economic crisis induced by high oil prices
Synonyms
cause,
produce,
create,
begin,
effect,
lead to,
occasion (formal),
generate,
provoke,
motivate,
set off,
bring about,
give rise to,
precipitate,
incite,
instigate,
engender,
set in motion
in the sense of influence
Definition
to persuade or induce
The conference influenced us to launch the campaign.
Synonyms
persuade,
move,
prompt,
urge,
counsel,
induce,
incline,
dispose,
arouse,
sway,
rouse,
entice,
coax,
incite,
instigate,
predispose,
impel,
prevail upon
in the sense of lead
Definition
to influence someone to act, think, or behave in a certain way
It was not as straightforward as we were led to believe.
Synonyms
cause,
prompt,
persuade,
move,
draw,
influence,
motivate,
prevail,
induce,
incline,
dispose
in the sense of motivate
Definition
to give a reason or inspiration for a course of action to someone
His hard work was motivated by a need to achieve.
Synonyms
inspire,
drive,
stimulate,
provoke,
lead,
move,
cause,
prompt,
stir,
trigger,
set off,
induce,
arouse,
prod,
get going,
instigate,
impel,
actuate,
give incentive to,
inspirit
Additional synonyms
in the sense of move
Definition
to cause or prompt to do something
The hearings moved me to come up with these suggestions.
Synonyms
drive,
lead,
cause,
influence,
persuade,
push,
shift,
inspire,
prompt,
stimulate,
motivate,
induce,
shove,
activate,
propel,
rouse,
prod,
incite,
impel,
set going
in the sense of prompt
Definition
to motivate or cause someone to do something
The recession has prompted consumers to cut back on buying cars.
Synonyms
cause,
move,
inspire,
stimulate,
occasion (formal),
urge,
spur,
provoke,
motivate,
induce,
evoke,
give rise to,
elicit,
incite,
instigate,
impel,
call forth
in the sense of satisfy
Definition
to convince
He has to satisfy us that real progress will be made.
Synonyms
convince,
persuade,
assure,
reassure,
dispel (someone's) doubts,
put (someone's) mind at rest
in the sense of sway
Definition
to influence (someone) in his or her opinion or judgment