dissuade

verb

dis·​suade di-ˈswād 

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

Synonyms of dissuade

• discourage
• deter

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

No amount of criticism dissuaded him and his fans from believing that Earth has been visited repeatedly by beings from Outer Space, and will be again in the future. —Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026

Maybe this latest reminder that Davis is injury-prone is enough to dissuade the Hawks from doing the wrong thing. —Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026

Mamdani has now inserted himself into three congressional races, having backed former comptroller Brad Lander for NY-10 and dissuaded Councilmember Chi Osse from running a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026

For crown and cross The violence at Acoma did not dissuade Spaniards eager to migrate. —Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for dissuade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

dissuade

verb

dis·​suade dis-ˈwād 

dissuaded; dissuading

: to persuade or advise not to do something