persuade

verb

per·​suade pər-ˈswād 

persuaded; persuading

transitive verb

1

: to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action

2

: to plead with : urge

persuader noun

Synonyms

• argue
• bring
• bring around
• convert
• convince
• gain
• get
• induce
• move
• prevail (on or upon)
• satisfy
• talk (into)
• win (over)

Examples of persuade in a Sentence

He persuaded his friend to go back to school.

She couldn't be persuaded to go.

He would not let himself be persuaded into buying the more expensive stereo.

I am not easily persuaded.

They persuaded us that we were wrong.

He persuaded himself that he had made the right choice.

Recent Examples on the Web

Phil Noble—Getty Images O’Neill believes that there are people—particularly the plurality of those who don’t identify with unionists or nationalists—who are willing to be persuaded, and says that there’s as much an economic case for Irish reunification as there is an ideological one. —Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 30 May 2024

Allen persuaded Simoni to leave DoorDash earlier this year and work with him at his new company, Allen Control Systems, to build a gun turret that uses computer vision to blast drones out of the sky. —Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 29 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin persuadēre, from per- thoroughly + suadēre to advise, urge — more at sweet

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

persuade

verb

per·​suade pər-ˈswād 

persuaded; persuading

: to win over to a belief or to a course of action by argument or earnest request

persuadable

-ˈswād-ə-bəl

adjective

persuader noun