persuade

per·suade | \ pər-ˈswād

How to pronounce persuade (audio)

\

persuaded; persuading

Definition of persuade

transitive verb

1 : to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action

2 : to plead with : urge

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Examples of persuade in a Sentence

He persuaded his friend to go back to school. She couldn't be persuaded to go. He would not let himself be persuaded into buying the more expensive stereo. I am not easily persuaded. They persuaded us that we were wrong. He persuaded himself that he had made the right choice.

Recent Examples on the Web Kennedy’s staffers tried to gently persuade him to travel instead to a place where the Democratic candidate was within striking distance. — BostonGlobe.com, "As the 2018 midterm elections approached, Democratic candidates around the country wanted Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III’s help.," 17 Sep. 2019 However, United may at least be able to rely on Maguire’s close personal relationship with Maddison to help persuade him that his future should lie at Old Trafford. — SI.com, "Man Utd Tipped to Bid for Leicester Midfielder James Maddison Next Summer," 16 Sep. 2019 As Davis recounted in his 1998 book, Shadows in the Sun, the Inuit man's family had taken away his tools in a vain attempt to persuade him to leave the ice and join them in a settlement. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Knives made of frozen feces don’t make the cut, disproving well-known legend," 16 Sep. 2019 Lyndon Johnson famously pushed then Fed Chair William Martin up against a wall while trying to persuade him to lower rates. — Erik Sherman, Fortune, "Trump Wants Negative Rates Now–and It Could End Up Costing You," 12 Sep. 2019 Vesna Nestorovic, the center’s medical coordinator, said staffers sometimes phone stubborn husbands to persuade them to allow their wives to return for follow-up care. — David Zucchino, New York Times, "At a Maternity Center Near a War Zone, 20 Births in One Day," 12 Sep. 2019 Last year the American president withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal shortly after Mr Macron visited Washington, hoping to persuade him otherwise. — The Economist, "Emmanuel Macron reclaims France’s international role," 29 Aug. 2019 Police implored the gunman to surrender, at one point patching in his lawyer on the phone with him to try to persuade him to give up, Ross said. — Christina Paciolla, sun-sentinel.com, "Philadelphia gunman in custody after hourslong standoff," 15 Aug. 2019 Police implored the gunman to surrender, at one point patching in his lawyer on the phone with him to try to persuade him to give up, Ross said. — Dallas News, "Suspect in custody after injuring several officers in shooting in Philadelphia, police say," 14 Aug. 2019

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

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Last Updated

25 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for persuade

The first known use of persuade was in the 15th century

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