dissuade

verb

dis·​suade di-ˈswād How to pronounce dissuade (audio)
dissuaded; dissuading

transitive verb

1
a
: to advise (a person) against something
dissuading us from base thoughts, low ends, ignoble gains …A. T. Quiller-Couch
b
archaic : to advise against (an action)
2
: to turn from something by persuasion
unable to dissuade him from going
dissuader noun

Examples of dissuade in a Sentence

Our warnings did not dissuade them. tried to dissuade her from her intention to drop out of college
Recent Examples on the Web The last week suggests that amount might not be enough to dissuade flippers. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 The daunting forecast wasn’t enough to dissuade some travelers from hitting the road during the worst conditions. Susannah Cullinane, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The jury ruled in January that Trump had to pay $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages, which are meant to dissuade Trump from further defaming Carroll. Alison Durkee, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Contrary to what game developers may believe, LGBTQ+ representation doesn't dissuade non-LGBTQ+ gamers or affect their likelihood of playing or buying a game. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 The symphony's announcement didn't dissuade them, with plans still a go as of early January. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024 Still, the government did little to dissuade the hilltop settlers, who viewed themselves as pioneers. Shane Bauer, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Penalties are steep for tampering with mail, which dissuades theft. Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2024 From humble beginnings to global powerhouses, these major companies – and, importantly, their founders – weren’t dissuaded by their initial settings. Matt Symonds, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissuade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French dissuader, from Latin dissuadēre, from dis- + suadēre to urge — more at sweet

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissuade was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near dissuade

Cite this Entry

“Dissuade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissuade. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dissuade

verb
dis·​suade dis-ˈwād How to pronounce dissuade (audio)
dissuaded; dissuading
: to persuade or advise not to do something

More from Merriam-Webster on dissuade

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