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

Ruben does little to dissuade Niall’s presumptions. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026

Baker tried to dissuade her, and Rivera ended the relationship in late May 2025, according to court filings. —Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

Chiefs executive vice-president Jack Steadman bluntly tried to dissuade the idea. —Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026

Almost everyone, except my husband, therapists and surgeon, tried to dissuade me. —Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 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