suasion

noun

sua·sion | \ ˈswā-zhən

How to pronounce suasion (audio)

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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 on the Web Audiences are left frustrated and susceptible to easy suasion; this superficial view of the past contributes to the national dismantling perpetuated by mainstream media. — Armond White, National Review, "Judas and the Black Messiah," 12 Feb. 2021 But Jones also introduces us to formidable women who haven’t been enshrined in popular memory, like Maggie Hood-Banks, a bishop’s daughter who combined forceful moral suasion with a sly wit. — Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, "‘Vanguard’ Spotlights the Black Women Who Fought for the Vote," 2 Sep. 2020 Over time, Douglass came to see the futility of moral suasion and the usefulness of turning the professed ideals of the Constitution to his purposes. — Jabari Asim, The New Republic, "The Douglass Republic," 14 Aug. 2020 Why doesn't the president, who has some suasion in the country, come forward and say everybody should wear a mask, which is what all the governors are saying? — CBS News, "Transcript: Vice President Mike Pence on "Face the Nation," June 28, 2020," 28 June 2020 But not all judges are in Trump’s pocket, and judges in general are relatively insusceptible to direct political suasion. — Jonathan Stevenson, The New York Review of Books, "With Flynn, Barr Burns Justice to Feed Trump’s ‘Obamagate’ Fantasy," 15 May 2020 And grass-roots mobilization and moral suasion have worked in the United States before. — Oeindrila Dube, New York Times, "How You Can Protect Your Community, Not Just Your Own Health," 26 Mar. 2020 With Lipton’s departure, some IMF veterans saw the loss of a respected backroom coordinator whose experience in the art of multilateral suasion might be just what’s needed as another crisis brewed. — Shawn Donnan, Bloomberg.com, "Committee to Save World Is a No-Show, Pushing Economy to Brink," 5 May 2020 There is always moral suasion — but this can seem weak and pathetic. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, "Turkey, NATO, and a Shifting World," 7 Nov. 2019

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.

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Dictionary Entries near suasion

suaviter in modo, fortiter in re

Statistics for suasion

Last Updated

19 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Suasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suasion. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

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