Persuade
per-SWAYD
/pərˈsweɪd/
To cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
Persuasion involves appealing to reason, emotion, or self-interest to change someone's belief or action. It's distinct from coercion, which uses force.
The story behind the word. The word 'persuade' comes from the Latin 'persuadere,' meaning 'to advise thoroughly' or 'to urge successfully.' It's formed from 'per-' (through, thoroughly) and 'suadere' (to advise, to urge). So, when you persuade, you're thoroughly advising someone to take a certain course of action.
Word relationships
- Convince: Often refers to changing someone's belief or opinion, while 'persuade' focuses on action.
- Induce: More formal, often implies a gentle or subtle influence.
- Coax: Implies gentle and persistent persuasion, often with flattery.
- Dissuade: To deter someone from doing something.
- Discourage: To cause someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Commonly confused with
- Convince: You convince someone of something (a belief); you persuade someone to do something (an action).
Word family
- persuasion (noun): The action or process of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something.
- persuasive (adjective): Good at persuading someone to do or believe something through reasoning or argument.
Collocations
- persuade someone to do
- persuade successfully
- try to persuade
- difficult to persuade
Example sentences
- "It took hours of discussion to persuade the committee members to adopt the new policy." A negotiation scenario.
- "The salesperson tried to persuade the customer that the extended warranty was a worthwhile investment." A sales pitch.
- "He attempted to persuade the king to abandon his ill-conceived war, but to no avail." A historical account.
Memory hook
Per-SWAYD: You 'SWAY' someone's opinion or action 'PERfectly' to persuade them. Sway through argument.
When not to use
Do not use 'persuade' if someone is forced or commanded to do something; 'compel' or 'order' would be more appropriate.
Fun facts
- Aristotle identified three modes of persuasion: Ethos (credibility), Pathos (emotion), and Logos (logic).
Related words
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