Persuade
/pərˈsweɪd/verb
To make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it.
I finally managed to persuade my father to stop smoking.
Often appears as...
- persuade someone to do something
- persuade somebody into
verb
To convince someone to believe that something is true.
He managed to persuade the jury of his innocence.
Often appears as...
- persuade of something
- persuade somebody of
verb
To cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
After much persuasion, he finally agreed to come with us.
Often appears as...
- persuade into doing
- it took persuasion
verb
To make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it.
I finally managed to persuade my father to stop smoking.
Often appears as...
- persuade someone to do something
- persuade somebody into
verb
To convince someone to believe that something is true.
He managed to persuade the jury of his innocence.
Often appears as...
- persuade of something
- persuade somebody of
verb
To cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
After much persuasion, he finally agreed to come with us.
Often appears as...
- persuade into doing
- it took persuasion
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Appeal
Use 'persuade' when appealing to someone's emotions to encourage a decision.
She persuaded her friend to adopt a pet by talking about the joy it brings.
Pro Tip 2/3Rational Arguments
Highlight logical reasons when trying to persuade someone to take action.
He persuaded the committee with a well-researched presentation.
Pro Tip 3/3Positive Connotation
'Persuade' often implies a positive action or result, unlike 'coerce' or 'force'.
You can persuade a friend to exercise, improving their health.
Compare with
cajolecoaxconvinceencourageinduceinfluencepromptswayurge
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Video examples
Apollo Robbins on...
pulled into a situation like you're being persuaded to do something and you're not quite sure about it a lot of times the difficulty in influence or in negotiation or persuasion is when you feel the inability to walk away as long as you maintain the ability that you can
Video examples
How do you know you...
Life is but a dream, and I bet you aren't row, row, rowing the boat merrily at all, are you? No, you're rowing it wearily like the duped, nonexistent doof you are/aren't. Do you find that convincing? Are you persuaded? If you aren't, good; if you are, even better,
Video examples
How to turn protest into...
a contagion, a belief, a motivation. It requires pressuring policymakers, using the media to change narrative, making arguments in public, persuading skeptical neighbors one by one by one. None of this is as sexy as a protest,
Video examples
Attenborough: the...
To persuade females the come close and admire his plumes, he sings the most complex song he can manage and he does that by copying the songs of all the other birds he hears around him, such as the kookaburra.
Video examples
Extraordinary Lion Hunt...
Lions are mostly active at night and seldom roar during the day. We tried to persuade them to do so with the help of scientists, by playing back the roar of a strange lion to a resident pride.
Video examples
Combatting the decline...
traditional herbs and techniques that are ancestresses used to naturally afro hair somehow we've been persuaded that our culture is primitive and barbaric we are quickly losing the enriching
Video examples
10 TOP Natural History...
to persuade females to come close and admire his plumes he sings the most complex song he can manage and he does that by copying the songs of all the other birds he hears around him
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
parenting but the father needs persuading to surrender the chick he's been caring for all winter he must now put his chick at risk in these temperatures it could freeze in seconds
Video examples
Elon Musk: The future...
You started Tesla with the goal of persuading the world that electrification was the future of cars, and a few years ago, people were laughing at you. Now, not so much.
Video examples
Penguin Chicks Struggle...
She's keen to start parenting but the father needs persuading to surrender the chick he's been caring for all winter.
Video examples
Apollo Robbins on...
pulled into a situation like you're being persuaded to do something and you're not quite sure about it a lot of times the difficulty in influence or in negotiation or persuasion is when you feel the inability to walk away as long as you maintain the ability that you can
Video examples
How do you know you...
Life is but a dream, and I bet you aren't row, row, rowing the boat merrily at all, are you? No, you're rowing it wearily like the duped, nonexistent doof you are/aren't. Do you find that convincing? Are you persuaded? If you aren't, good; if you are, even better,
Video examples
How to turn protest into...
a contagion, a belief, a motivation. It requires pressuring policymakers, using the media to change narrative, making arguments in public, persuading skeptical neighbors one by one by one. None of this is as sexy as a protest,
Video examples
Attenborough: the...
To persuade females the come close and admire his plumes, he sings the most complex song he can manage and he does that by copying the songs of all the other birds he hears around him, such as the kookaburra.
Video examples
Extraordinary Lion Hunt...
Lions are mostly active at night and seldom roar during the day. We tried to persuade them to do so with the help of scientists, by playing back the roar of a strange lion to a resident pride.
Video examples
Combatting the decline...
traditional herbs and techniques that are ancestresses used to naturally afro hair somehow we've been persuaded that our culture is primitive and barbaric we are quickly losing the enriching
Video examples
10 TOP Natural History...
to persuade females to come close and admire his plumes he sings the most complex song he can manage and he does that by copying the songs of all the other birds he hears around him
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
parenting but the father needs persuading to surrender the chick he's been caring for all winter he must now put his chick at risk in these temperatures it could freeze in seconds
Video examples
Elon Musk: The future...
You started Tesla with the goal of persuading the world that electrification was the future of cars, and a few years ago, people were laughing at you. Now, not so much.
Video examples
Penguin Chicks Struggle...
She's keen to start parenting but the father needs persuading to surrender the chick he's been caring for all winter.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Saint Teresa of Avila
Spanish Saint
My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that he never could be persuaded to keep slaves, for he pitied them so much: and a slave belonging to one of his brothers being once in his house, was treated by him with as much tenderness as his own children.
Quote examples
Kevin Whately
English Actor
I initially thought 'Lewis' was a terrible idea. The character had very much been Morse's work donkey and sounding board. But I was persuaded to do it, thinking if it was a flop, at least ITV would stop asking me. But the pilot took off, so we got back on this moving train, and we've never looked back.
Quote examples
Peggy Noonan
American Writer
You don't tell people who disagree with you they'd be better off somewhere else. And you don't reduce them to stereotypes; you address them as fully formed people worthy of respect. You try to persuade them.
Quote examples
John Cleese
English Actor
If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas. And if I can persuade you to laugh at the particular point I make, by laughing at it you acknowledge its truth.
Quote examples
John Berger
English Artist
I wanted to write about looking at the world, so it's more about helping people, or persuading people, to see what is around us; both the marvellous and the terrible.
Quote examples
Gilbert Highet
Scottish Writer
What is politics but persuading the public to vote for this and support that and endure these for the promise of those?
Quote examples
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
American Author
When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.
Quote examples
Kristen Soltis Anderson
American Writer
For thousands of years, humans have used the art of storytelling to motivate and persuade.
Quote examples
Nelson Mandela
South African Statesman
It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.
Quote examples
Buffalo Bill
American Celebrity
I was persuaded now that I was destined to lead a life on the Plains.
Quote examples
Saint Teresa of Avila
Spanish Saint
My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that he never could be persuaded to keep slaves, for he pitied them so much: and a slave belonging to one of his brothers being once in his house, was treated by him with as much tenderness as his own children.
Quote examples
Kevin Whately
English Actor
I initially thought 'Lewis' was a terrible idea. The character had very much been Morse's work donkey and sounding board. But I was persuaded to do it, thinking if it was a flop, at least ITV would stop asking me. But the pilot took off, so we got back on this moving train, and we've never looked back.
Quote examples
Peggy Noonan
American Writer
You don't tell people who disagree with you they'd be better off somewhere else. And you don't reduce them to stereotypes; you address them as fully formed people worthy of respect. You try to persuade them.
Quote examples
John Cleese
English Actor
If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas. And if I can persuade you to laugh at the particular point I make, by laughing at it you acknowledge its truth.
Quote examples
John Berger
English Artist
I wanted to write about looking at the world, so it's more about helping people, or persuading people, to see what is around us; both the marvellous and the terrible.
Quote examples
Gilbert Highet
Scottish Writer
What is politics but persuading the public to vote for this and support that and endure these for the promise of those?
Quote examples
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
American Author
When you have nothing important or interesting to say, don't let anyone persuade you to say it.
Quote examples
Kristen Soltis Anderson
American Writer
For thousands of years, humans have used the art of storytelling to motivate and persuade.
Quote examples
Nelson Mandela
South African Statesman
It is wise to persuade people to do things and make them think it was their own idea.
Quote examples
Buffalo Bill
American Celebrity
I was persuaded now that I was destined to lead a life on the Plains.
Example 1 of 10
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