induce

verb in·duce \ in-ˈdüs , -ˈdyüs \

Definition of induce

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

induct an electric current

3 :to determine by induction; specifically :to infer from particulars

See induce defined for English-language learners

See induce defined for kids

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 of induce from the Web

Turner and his wife Danielle planned to induce labor on the first day of his leave Friday, but life kept throwing obstacles in the way of their birth plan.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "Turner back with club after stressful paternity leave," 29 Aug. 2017
Charged with dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, and aiding, inducing or causing an offense in dealing in methamphetamine.

— justin sayers, The Courier-Journal, "'We're going to attack it': 20 charged in 'Operation Total Eclipse' as police target drug dealers," 25 Aug. 2017
Nothing personifies the anxiety-inducing madness of modern air travel like an international terminal.

— adam popescu, vanityfair.com, "Inside the Private, Celebrity-Friendly Terminal at LAX," 16 Aug. 2017
Besides eggplant, licorice, dates, pineapples, spicy foods, Mexican food, and chamomile are just some foods said to help induce labor.

— rosemary counter, Bon Appetit, "This Eggplant Parm Is Famous for Inducing Labor," 7 Aug. 2017
Perhaps the mystery around her early death should, in fact, be read as a pseudo-Victorian euphemism for the type of liver failure that is induced by heavy drinking.

— janine barchas, Washington Post, "Jane Austen is a fraud," 18 July 2017
That’s supposed to induce healthy people to buy high-coverage plans and help subsidize the sick.

— jay hancock, Kaiser Health News, "Analysis: Senate’s Latest Health Blueprint Cuts Costs At The Expense Of Chronically Ill," 17 July 2017
After a day-and-a-half of blister-inducing heat, some higher power (probably a cold front) dropped the temperature by a good 15 degrees.

— jeffrey lee puckett, The Courier-Journal, "5 things you missed at the Forecastle Festival on Saturday," 16 July 2017
What if Shakespeare were actually really good looking and a secret Catholic spy and a prototypical glam-rock icon and suffering from PTSD induced by watching his uncle get publicly disemboweled?

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "Will Is Flagrantly Silly, Glam-Rock Shakespeare," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'induce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of induce

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

induce Synonyms

Other Logic Terms

a posteriori, connotation, corollary, inference, mutually exclusive, paradox, postulate, syllogism

INDUCE Defined for English Language Learners

induce

verb

Definition of induce for English Language Learners

: to cause (someone or something) to do something
: to cause (something) to happen or exist
medical : to give (a pregnant woman) special medicine in order to make her give birth : to cause (labor or birth) to begin by giving special drugs to a pregnant woman

INDUCE Defined for Kids

induce

verb in·duce \ in-ˈdüs , -ˈdyüs \

Definition of induce for Students

induced; inducing

1 :to cause to do something

Her pleas induced us to give.

2 :to bring about

Warm milk induces sleepiness.

3 :to produce (as an electric current) by induction

Word Root of induce

The Latin word ducere, meaning “to lead,” and its form ductus give us the roots duc and duct. Words from the Latin ducere have something to do with leading. A duct is a tube that leads from one place or organ to another. To educate, or teach, is to lead to knowledge. To induce is to lead into a particular state.