persuasion

noun

per·​sua·​sion pər-ˈswā-zhən 

1

a

: the act or process or an instance of persuading

b

: a persuading argument

c

: the ability to persuade : persuasiveness

2

: the condition of being persuaded

3

a

: an opinion held with complete assurance

b

: a system of religious beliefs

also : a group adhering to a particular system of beliefs

4

: kind, sort

Synonyms

• conversion
• convincing
• inducement
• inducing
• persuading
• suasion

Choose the Right Synonym for persuasion

opinion, view, belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment mean a judgment one holds as true.

opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute.

each expert seemed to have a different opinion

view suggests a subjective opinion.

very assertive in stating his views

belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent.

a firm belief in her party's platform

conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief.

the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human

persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.

was of the persuasion that everything changes

sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings.

her feminist sentiments are well-known

Examples of persuasion in a Sentence

It would take a lot of persuasion to get him to agree to such an offer.

Most kids don't need much persuasion to use computers.

people of all different persuasions

Recent Examples on the Web

So, the prospect of sitting through a movie depicting all of those things, and with uncertainty about the particular political persuasions and messaging in the film, could wind up working against Civil War and suppressing its box office performance. —Mark Hughes, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Alex Abdo, litigation director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which filed a brief in support of neither party, urged the court to clarify the constitutional line between coercion and persuasion. —Ann Marimow, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024

The Civil Rights Movement, for instance, was based on the premise that moral persuasion could force law and politics to take steps beyond what many voters were ready for. —Mark Sappenfield, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2024

Use your power of persuasion to convince those close to you to join in and be supportive. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024

If Bob Iger were a Marvel superhero, his power would be persuasion. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024

In the two other cases, more judges of every ideological persuasion were skeptical of the challenges. —Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024

Others are centrists who have problems with both parties but are open to persuasion. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024

Responsibly use this tactic of emotional persuasion. —USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English persuasioun, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French persuasion, from Latin persuasion-, persuasio, from persuadēre

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing persuasion

• power(s) of persuasion

Kids Definition

persuasion

noun

per·​sua·​sion pər-ˈswā-zhən 

1

: the act of persuading

2

: the power or ability to persuade

3

: the state of being persuaded

4

a

: a way of believing

especially : a system of religious beliefs

b

: a group having the same religious beliefs

Medical Definition

persuasion

noun

per·​sua·​sion pər-ˈswā-zhən 

: a method of treating neuroses consisting essentially in rational conversation and reeducation