Definition of suasion
: the act of influencing or persuading
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Examples of suasion in a Sentence
a defense lawyer uses not only legal arguments but also moral suasion to appeal to a jury's sense of right and wrong
Recent Examples of suasion from the Web
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Recent revelations around the improper acquisition of millions of Facebook users’ data for the purposes of political suasion do not inspire much confidence in the social network’s ability to protect people’s personal information.
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This assumes that there is a finite pool of military power and economic influence and diplomatic suasion, and therefore the material or soft-power gains of one of these three powers is made at the expense of one or two of the others.
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For all its powers of lawmaking, war making, budget drafting and diplomacy, the presidency also embodies the power of moral suasion.
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The rapid initial response has often been held up as an example of how voluntary targets and moral suasion can be effective.
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All SCOTUS has is moral suasion and institutional tradition, and we've all seen how far those go with this crowd.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suasion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of suasion
Middle English, from Latin suasion-, suasio, from suadēre to urge, persuade — more at sweet
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First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined above
See Words from the same yearsuasion Synonyms
Synonyms
conversion, convincing, inducement, inducing, persuading, persuasion;
Related Words
blandishment, cajolement, cajolery, coaxing, entreaty, exhortation, urging, wheedling;
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