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

The company has employed these same tactics to dissuade union activity across the country. —Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025

Despite ignoring his initial greeting and relying on her cranky anti-neighborly attitude to dissuade further outreach, Nile won’t relent. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Nov. 2025

The close call did not dissuade the sportsbooks’ view of the Hoosiers, which were +700 a week ago. —Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025

The first vehicle to bear the Beast name was destroyed in a fire in the early 1970s, but Dodd wouldn’t let that dissuade him. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2025

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