to persuade

Examples

• All

• Information alone is not always sufficient to persuade us to use assessment techniques.

  Academic text (1999)

• So I am here to persuade you to change your mind.

• This is what I want to persuade you of in this talk.

• So these are people who are hard to persuade, right?

• I actually tried to persuade him to take money.

  Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

• I tried to persuade her to go back to her own.

  The Cobweb (1955)

• We are very lucky to have persuaded her to do this.

• I'm hoping I can find her, persuade her to come home.

  Midnight (2020)

• Persuade him to give us the tape.

  Enemy of the State (1998)

• The church has too often allowed itself to be persuaded by nice words and simple explanations.

  Academic text (1990)

Synonyms

C

to convince

vsto persuade

∞ 2.7

Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something

uses reasons or appeals to gain agreement in general

S

to sell

vsto persuade

526 2.0

To persuade someone to buy or accept something

is more general and not limited to selling ideas or goods

U

to urge

vsto persuade

514 3.2

To strongly encourage someone to do something

is broader and can use calm reasons or gentler appeals

T

to talk into

vsto persuade

257 3.0

Make someone agree to do something by giving reasons

may also rely on appeals rather than just explanation

C

to change someone's mind

vsto persuade

240 3.0

Make someone think differently about something

covers both changing belief and motivating action by giving reasons

M

to motivate

vsto persuade

196 3.5

Make someone want to do something

focuses on persuading by giving reasons or appeals to belief or action

W

to win over

vsto persuade

113 3.3

Get someone to support or agree with you

focuses more widely on convincing for any action or belief

S

to sway

vsto persuade

90 3.6

To cause someone to change their opinion or decision

is the general act of convincing using reasons or appeals

P

to put up to

vsto persuade

• Informal

57 6.8

To persuade someone to do something they would not do on their own

covers persuading both safe choices and hesitant actions by reasons

C

to coax

vsto persuade

53 4.1

To gently persuade someone by being kind and patient

can include firmer reasons or stronger appeals beyond gentle encouragement

I

to induce

vsto persuade

30 4.9

Persuade someone to do something

is broader, focusing on gentle appeals and reasoned convincing

C

to cajole

vsto persuade

18 7.7

To persuade someone to do something by gentle talk and praise

relies more on reasons or balanced appeals rather than flattery

E

to exhort

vsto persuade

• Formal

16 7.7

To strongly encourage someone to do something

is less forceful and can use reasoning or friendly appeals

T

to twist someone's arm

vsto persuade

• Informal

10 4.4

Get someone to agree or do something by pressuring them

relies more on reasons or gentle appeals rather than pressure

P

to prevail

vsto persuade

• Formal

6 6.7

To persuade someone to do something after repeated effort

covers any convincing method, not only repeated persistence

P

to prevail upon

vsto persuade

4 7.7

To persuade someone who does not want to do something to do it

includes persuading both willing and reluctant people by reasons or appeals

B

to bring round

vsto persuade

• UK

1 4.4

To persuade someone to accept your idea or plan

is broader, including reasons or appeals beyond just discussion

Antonyms

D

to dissuade

34 6.0

To try to stop someone from doing something by talking to them

How Persuasive

to win over

113 3.3

to convince

∞ 2.7

to persuade

359 2.7

to encourage

877 2.3

to suggest

∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

Etymology