persuasion
per-SWAY-zhun
/pəˈsweɪʒən/
The action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something.
Implies the use of influence, logic, or emotion rather than force.
The story behind the word. From 'per-' (thoroughly) and 'suadere' (to advise or urge). It literally means to urge someone so thoroughly that they agree with you. It shares a root with the word 'sweet' (suavis), implying that persuasion is a 'sweet' way to get what you want.
Word relationships
- influence: Influence is the power to affect someone; persuasion is the active attempt to do so.
- convincing: Convincing is the result; persuasion is the process.
- dissuasion: Dissuasion is the act of talking someone out of doing something.
- coercion: Coercion is forcing someone; persuasion is convincing them.
Commonly confused with
- manipulation: Manipulation is often dishonest or hidden; persuasion can be open and honest.
Word family
- persuade (verb): To convince someone to do or believe something.
- persuasive (adjective): Good at persuading someone.
Collocations
- powers of persuasion
- gentle persuasion
- religious persuasion
Idioms & expressions
- win someone over
- sweet talk
Example sentences
- "Persuasion is the last novel completed by Jane Austen." A literary title.
- "The salesman used all his powers of persuasion to get me to buy the car." Marketing and sales.
Memory hook
Persuasion is like a 'purse'—you have to sell the idea to get the money. Persuasion = Personal Suasion (urging).
When not to use
Do not use when force is involved; that is 'coercion'.
Fun facts
- Aristotle identified three modes of persuasion: Ethos (authority), Pathos (emotion), and Logos (logic).
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.