persuade
per-SWEYD
/pərˈsweɪd/
Provide sound reasons or arguments to cause someone to do or believe something.
Implies an active, deliberate effort to change someone's mind through reasoning, pleading, or charm.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Latin suadere, which means 'to make sweet or pleasant.' When you persuade someone, you are literally 'thoroughly making an idea sweet' to them, presenting it in such a pleasing way that they gladly accept it.
Word relationships
- convince: Convince targets the mind (making someone believe), while persuade targets the will (making someone act).
- cajole: Cajole implies using gentle flattery or teasing to persuade someone, which is more manipulative than standard persuasion.
- dissuade: Dissuade is to persuade someone not to do something.
- discourage: Discourage is to deprive of courage or confidence, making someone less likely to act.
Commonly confused with
- convince: You convince someone that something is true; you persuade someone to do something.
Word family
- persuasion (noun): The act of persuading or state of being persuaded.
- persuasive (adjective): Good at persuading someone to do or believe something.
Collocations
- persuade someone to
- easily persuaded
- fail to persuade
- try to persuade
Example sentences
- "She had been persuaded to believe that she was doing right, and that she was sacrificing her own feelings to the welfare of others." From Jane Austen's Persuasion, describing Anne Elliot's past actions.
Memory hook
To persuade is to make an idea sweet (suadere) to per (each) person. Persuade is to make an idea sweet to the mind.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'convince' in formal grammar (though they are often used interchangeably, 'persuade' traditionally leads to an action, while 'convince' leads to a belief).
Fun facts
- The Latin root 'suadere' is also the source of the word 'suave' (smooth and charming).
- Jane Austen's novel 'Persuasion' was published posthumously in 1817 and was originally titled 'The Elliots' by the author.
Related words
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