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

Fearing becoming a target, landlords have been hiking apartment rents to dissuade new tenants. —ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026

Soaring energy costs are likely to dissuade policymakers from easing until there is more clarity about when and how the war will end. —Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026

But the report said those efforts would have limited effects in dissuading someone who has a gambling addiction. —Suzanne King, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026

The New York Times is cheering them on, opining in a recent editorial that artificially raising the prices of legal cannabis through higher taxes and fees will dissuade adults from consuming it. —Paul Armentano, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 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