persuasion

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noun

Definition of PERSUASION

1

the act of reasoning or pleading with someone to accept a belief or course of action <the suffragists' gradual persuasion of the American people that voting rights had to be extended to women>

Synonyms conversion, convincing, inducement, inducing, persuading, suasion

Related Words blandishment, cajolement, cajolery, coaxing, entreaty, exhortation, urging, wheedling; seduction, tempting; influencing, prompting, swaying; lobbying, pressuring; brainwashing, overpersuasion

2

a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities <debating theology with someone of a different persuasion>

Synonyms credo, creed, cult, faith, persuasion

Related Words church, communion, denomination, sect; doctrine, dogma, theology; deism, heathenism, monotheism, paganism, pantheism, polytheism, theism

Near Antonyms agnosticism, know-nothingism; atheism, godlessness, nonbelief, secularism, unbelief

3

an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge <he's of the persuasion that everything that happens in this world is part of a divine plan>

Synonyms belief, conviction, eye, feeling, judgment (or judgement), mind, notion, persuasion, sentiment, verdict, view

Related Words say; impression, perception, take; attitude; assumption, presumption, presupposition; conclusion, decision, determination; deliverance, esteem, estimate, estimation; credence, credit, faith; concept, conception, idea, thought; position, stance, stand; comment, obiter dictum, observation, reflection, remark; conjecture, guess, hunch, hypothesis, surmise, theory; advice, input, recommendation, suggestion; angle, outlook, perspective, shoes, slant, standpoint, viewpoint; counterview

Near Antonyms fact, truth

4

the capacity to persuade <there was an inherent persuasion in his sonorous voice that made listeners put aside any misgivings about his message>

Synonyms authority, conclusiveness, convincingness, effectiveness, force, forcefulness, persuasion, persuasiveness, suasiveness

Related Words impact, might, power, punch, strength, weight; believability, credibility, soundness, validity; authoritativeness, definitiveness; influence, sway; appeal, seductiveness

Near Antonyms invalidity, shakiness, unsoundness; feebleness, powerlessness, weakness

Antonyms inconclusiveness, ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness