induce

verb

in·​duce in-ˈdüs 

-ˈdyüs

induced; inducing

transitive verb

1

a

: to move by persuasion or influence

b

: to call forth or bring about by influence or stimulation

2

a

: effect, cause

b

: to cause the formation of

c

: to produce by induction

induce an electric current

3

: to determine by induction

specifically : to infer from particulars

Did you know?

Inducing is usually gentle persuasion; you may, for instance, induce a friend to go to a concert, or induce a child to stop crying. An inducement is something that might lure you to do something, though inducements are occasionally a bit menacing, like the Godfather's offer that you can't refuse. Induce also sometimes means "produce;" thus, doctors must at times induce labor in a pregnant woman. Notice that induct and induction are somewhat different from induce and inducement, though they come from the identical roots.

Synonyms

• beget
• breed
• bring
• bring about
• bring on
• catalyze
• cause
• create
• do
• draw on
• effect
• effectuate
• engender
• generate
• invoke
• make
• occasion
• produce
• prompt
• result (in)
• spawn
• translate (into)
• work
• yield

Examples of induce in a Sentence

The advertisement is meant to induce people to eat more fruit.

No one knows what induced him to leave.

Her illness was induced by overwork.

They will induce labor to avoid complications.

Recent Examples on the Web

Credit: Toshihiro Fujii/L-INSIGHT/Kyoto University Artist’s illustration of extensive air showers induced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2023

Returning to the carnage surrounding his home induced crying spells. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023

Now, in a study published this month in Nature, researchers describe a heart-brain pathway in mice that induces fainting when its neurons are activated. —Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023

Other fan service is regrettably on the nose, inducing more groans than pangs of recognition. —Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023

Long before the 20th century, physicians understood that opium and its derivatives (such as morphine, codeine and heroin) affect the brain, dampening pain and inducing euphoria. —Brandy Schillace, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023

There were quiet moments of coloring mermaids together, and others that induced squeals of delight, such as a massive cone of vanilla gelato sheathed in rainbow sprinkles at Anita Gelato in Manly. —Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 12 Nov. 2023

Much of the benefit can likely be explained by weight loss induced by the drug. —WIRED, 11 Nov. 2023

Gonorrhea infection does not induce immunity; people who have been cured can be reinfected. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 10 Nov. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French inducer, from Latin inducere, from in- + ducere to lead — more at tow entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

induce

verb

in·​duce in-ˈd(y)üs 

induced; inducing

1

: to lead on to do something : persuade

2

: bring about, cause

an illness induced by overwork

3

: to reach (a general conclusion) based on particular facts or examples

4

: to produce (as an electric current) by induction

inducer noun

inducible

-ˈd(y)ü-sə-bəl

adjective

Medical Definition

induce

transitive verb

in·​duce in-ˈd(y)üs 

induced; inducing

1

: to cause or bring about

anesthesia induced by drugs

: as

a(1)

: to cause the embryological formation of

the optic cup induces lens tissue in the adjacent ectoderm

(2)

: to cause to form through embryonic induction

induce ectoderm to form a neural tube

b

: to cause or initiate by artificial means

induced abortion

induced labor

2

: to produce anesthesia in

the patient was induced by a mixture of thiopental and curare