1
as in convincing
the act of reasoning or pleading with someone to accept a belief or course of action the suffragists' gradual persuasion of the American people that voting rights had to be extended to women

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2
as in religion
a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities debating theology with someone of a different persuasion

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun persuasion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of persuasion are belief, conviction, opinion, sentiment, and view. While all these words mean "a judgment one holds as true," persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.

was of the persuasion that everything changes

When might belief be a better fit than persuasion?

In some situations, the words belief and persuasion are roughly equivalent. However, belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent.

a firm belief in her party's platform

When could conviction be used to replace persuasion?

The meanings of conviction and persuasion largely overlap; however, conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief.

the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human

When is opinion a more appropriate choice than persuasion?

The words opinion and persuasion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute.

each expert seemed to have a different opinion

Where would sentiment be a reasonable alternative to persuasion?

The synonyms sentiment and persuasion are sometimes interchangeable, but sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings.

her feminist sentiments are well-known

When can view be used instead of persuasion?

The words view and persuasion can be used in similar contexts, but view suggests a subjective opinion.

very assertive in stating his views

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of persuasion In 1775, two years before the Articles of Confederation offered Canada statehood, American persuasion took a more aggressive shape. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2025 Other aspects of the game that are a bit odd and anachronistic are still in place, though, like the persuasion system for conversations with NPCs. ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2025 Father and Child makes a highly appropriate gift for paternal figures of all persuasions—and also provides a strong dose of style inspiration. Air Mail, 24 May 2025 The future of persuasion in advertising is human-first, AI-assisted. Maria Alonso, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for persuasion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persuasion
Noun
  • Hundreds of thousands, by some estimates, embraced the religion.
    Foster Klug, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • Hajj, the world’s largest annual pilgrimage, begins today in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as over 1 million Muslims travel to the religion's holiest city.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Resilient leadership requires an unparalleled ability to adapt without compromising core values, beliefs or foundational principles.
    Novena Riojas, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • By taking these assumptions and beliefs about hair’s relationship to the body seriously, this book reveals how nineteenth-century Americans came to understand their hair as a body part capable of indexing each person’s race, gender, and national belonging.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • The adapter has four regional plug options for U.S. E.U., U.K. and Australasia conversion heads.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • The influencer pop sphere is, mathematically, a graveyard with more misfires than successful conversions of internet cachet into hit parades.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • This cruelty is echoed and magnified in Trump’s movement, which increasingly resembles an authoritarian cult more than a political party.
    Tom Debley, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
  • So as Will was entering this case that involved a cult, he gets caught undercover and in that process he gets drugged.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • While the advice from Google is certainly not to be ignored by users, in my never humble opinion, Walsh does not agree.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • The law was upheld last year in an opinion written by a prominent conservative judge.
    David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Adaptation keeps you top of mind when budgets tighten.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Making pictures is what our minds do naturally with the fragments of our experience.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Handling Mistakes Traditional leaders see mistakes as a threat to authority.
    William Arruda, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Chelan County Sheriff's Office Last week, authorities asked people who live or own cabins in remote areas of several Washington state counties to lock their doors, including locking up sheds, while the search continued.
    Sarah Lynch Baldwin June 9, CBS News, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • In November, the ESA released images the Solar Orbiter obtained in March 2023 that the agency said are the highest-resolution views of the sun's surface, known as the photosphere, to date.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 June 2025
  • His lawyers, meanwhile, challenged the legality of Khalil’s detention and contend he was targeted for his pro-Palestinian views in violation of his constitutional rights.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Persuasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persuasion. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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