persuade
persuade
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "persuade" is:
pərˈsweɪd
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
per-:
/p/ - voiceless bilabial stop
/ər/ - mid-central vowel (rhotic schwa)
-swade:
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/w/ - voiced labial-velar approximant
/eɪ/ - diphthong (mid front unrounded vowel moving to near-close front unrounded vowel)
/d/ - voiced alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Verb Forms:
Base form: persuade
Third-person singular present: persuades
Past tense: persuaded
Present participle/gerund: persuading
Related Forms:
Noun:
persuasion
persuader
Adjective:
persuadable
persuasive
Adverb:
persuasively
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: Persuade
Definition: To induce someone to do something through reasoning or argument. To convince or influence someone's beliefs or actions.
Synonyms: convince, influence, induce, sway, entice, coax, win over, motivate.
Antonyms: dissuade, deter, discourage, prevent, hinder, restrain, repel.
Example: "She tried to persuade him to change his mind."
Noun: Persuasion
Definition: The act of persuading someone or of being persuaded. The ability to convince. A belief or opinion.
Synonyms: influence, inducement, conviction, advocacy, encouragement, suasion, argument.
Antonyms: dissuasion, deterrence, prevention, discouragement, coercion, force.
Example: "His powers of persuasion were remarkable."
Noun: Persuader
Definition: A person who persuades, especially effectively.
Synonyms: influencer, motivator, advocate, proponent, campaigner, salesperson, negotiator.
Antonyms: dissuader, opponent, detractor, critic, hinderer.
Example: "He was a skilled persuader, able to get people to agree with him."
Adjective: Persuasive
Definition: Effective in persuading; convincing.
Synonyms: convincing, compelling, cogent, effective, influential, potent, powerful, winning.
Antonyms: unconvincing, ineffective, weak, unpersuasive, dubious, implausible.
Example: "She made a persuasive argument for her proposal."
Adjective: Persuadable
Definition: Capable of being persuaded; open to influence.
Synonyms: influenceable, open, receptive, susceptible, malleable, compliant, yielding.
Antonyms: unpersuadable, stubborn, obstinate, inflexible, resistant, adamant.
Example: "He was persuadable, given the right evidence."
Adverb: Persuasively
Definition: In a manner that persuades or is intended to persuade.
Synonyms: convincingly, effectively, cogently, compellingly, influentially, winningly.
Antonyms: unconvincingly, ineffectively, weakly.
Example: "She argued her point persuasively."
Examples of Use
Verb: Persuade
Definition: To successfully cause someone to adopt a belief or course of action through reasoned argument or enticement.
Synonyms: convince, induce, influence, sway, cajole, prompt, urge.
Antonyms: dissuade, deter, discourage, prevent, forbid, prohibit.
Example: "The lawyer aimed to persuade the jury of his client's innocence."
Noun: Persuasion
Definition: The act or process of influencing someone's thoughts or actions; the ability to convince.
Synonyms: influence, inducement, convincing, advocacy, suasion, pressure, encouragement.
Antonyms: deterrence, dissuasion, coercion, force, compulsion, threat.
Example: "His smooth persuasion led her to agree to the deal."
Noun: Persuader
Definition: One who effectively convinces or influences others.
Synonyms: influencer, advocate, negotiator, salesperson, motivator, proponent, champion.
Antonyms: opponent, detractor, critic, dissuader, antagonist, blocker.
Example: "She was known as a powerful persuader within the company."
Adjective: Persuasive
Definition: Capable of causing someone to believe or do something.
Synonyms: convincing, compelling, cogent, effective, influential, potent, plausible, credible.
Antonyms: unconvincing, weak, ineffective, dubious, implausible, feeble.
Example: "He presented a persuasive case for funding the project."
Adjective: Persuadable
Definition: Open to influence or able to be convinced.
Synonyms: receptive, influenceable, open-minded, compliant, yielding, malleable, tractable.
Antonyms: stubborn, obstinate, unyielding, inflexible, resistant, adamant.
Example: "Despite his initial reluctance, he proved to be persuadable."
Adverb: Persuasively
Definition: In a manner that effectively convinces or influences.
Synonyms: convincingly, effectively, compellingly, cogently, influentially, plausibly, credibly.
Antonyms: unconvincingly, ineffectively, weakly, poorly.
Example: "The speaker argued persuasively for the need for reform."
10 Famous Quotes Using Persuade
"When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative. Persuade with reason, not with wrath." — Martin Luther King Jr.
"The aim of rhetoric is to persuade people to do or believe what they would not otherwise." — Aristotle
"You cannot reason people out of a position that they did not reason themselves into; you may persuade them only by the heart." — Jonathan Swift
"Our task is not to force people to believe, but to persuade them to look." — Blaise Pascal
"Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don’t have for something they don’t need, and to persuade them they can’t live without it." — Will Rogers
"If you would persuade, appeal to interest and not to reason." — Benjamin Franklin
"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still; persuasion is more art than force." — Dale Carnegie
"When you persuade people with fear, they obey only while afraid. When you persuade with love, they obey forever." — Mahatma Gandhi
"Reason can persuade, but only passion inspires." — Marcus Tullius Cicero
"You can’t persuade the world by shouting; you persuade by showing." — Nelson Mandela
Etymology
Let's break down the history of "persuade" in simple terms:
The Roots:
The word "persuade" comes from the Latin word "persuadere."
"Per-" means "thoroughly" or "completely."
"Suadere" means "to urge" or "to advise."
So, if you put them together, "persuadere" essentially means "to urge thoroughly" or "to advise completely."
How it Evolved:
The Latin "persuadere" made its way into Old French as "persuader."
From Old French, it then entered Middle English as "persuaden."
The first known use of "persuade" in English was in the late 14th century.
The meaning has stayed pretty consistent: to convince someone to do or believe something through reasoning or influence.
In essence:
Imagine you're trying to convince a friend to try a new restaurant. If you just say, "You should go," that's urging. But if you give them all the reasons why it's great—the delicious food, the fun atmosphere, the good prices—you're "persuading" them. You're urging them thoroughly.
Therefore the word has held its meaning for a very long time.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Persuade
Why It's Limited:
Directness: "Persuade" is a very specific action. Idioms tend to be more figurative.
Formality: While common, "persuade" retains a level of formality that might not be as prevalent in everyday, colloquial idiom use.
Phrases and Idioms (and Substitutes):
"Persuade someone to your way of thinking":
This is a common phrase, meaning to convince someone to agree with your viewpoint.
"Persuade someone against something":
This means to convince someone not to do something.
"Use powers of persuasion":
Meaning to use your abilities to convince.
"Bring someone around (to your way of thinking)":
This idiom with a synonym, "bring around" has the same meaning as persuade to your way of thinking.
"Twist someone's arm":
This is a related idiom that means to pressure or coerce someone into doing something, though it implies a less gentle form of persuasion.
"Win someone over":
This is a very common idiom meaning to persuade someone to your side.
"Talk someone into (or out of) something":
Again using the synonym talk, this is a very common phrase.
"Have a convincing argument":
This phrase emphasizes the tool used to persuade.
"Make a compelling case":
Similar to the previous phrase, this highlights the strength of the persuasion attempt.
"To be of strong persuasion":
This phrase is used to indicate a strongly held belief, or conviction. Although it uses persuasion as a noun, it fits the context of the requested list.
Original/Lesser-Known Phrases (Focusing on the Concept):
"To plant the seeds of persuasion": Suggests a gradual, subtle approach.
"To weave a web of persuasion": Implies a complex and carefully constructed argument.
While "persuade" itself doesn't generate a wealth of idioms, we can see that the concept of persuasion is very much present in everyday language.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of persuade from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
