Dictionary

persuade en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/

Etymology

From Latin persuādeō (“to persuade”). Cognate to for, sweet.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence.
   • The boy became volubly friendly and bubbling over with unexpected humour and high spirits. He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance. Nobody would miss them, he explained. 1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter I, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC:
   • We will persuade him, be it possible. c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
   • That salesman was able to persuade me into buying this bottle of lotion.
   • The most persistent tormentor was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored a hat-trick in last month’s corresponding fixture in Iceland. His ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect than Theo Walcott. 2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:
   • [VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and vvith reaſon to perſvvade that in tymes paſt our fayth vvas alike, that then vve preached thinges correſpondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs, ſo that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs. 1577, Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople], “Constantinus the Emperour Summoneth the Nicene Councell, it was Held at Nicæa a Citie of Bythnia for the Debatinge of the Controuersie about the Feast of Easter, and the Rootinge out of the Heresie of Arius”, in Eusebius Pamphilus, Socrates Scholasticus, Evagrius Scholasticus, Dorotheus, translated by Meredith Hanmer, The Avncient Ecclesiasticall Histories of the First Six Hundred Yeares after Christ, Wrytten in the Greeke Tongue by Three Learned Historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. …, book I (The First Booke of the Ecclesiasticall Historye of Socrates Scholasticvs), imprinted at London: By Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers by Ludgate, →OCLC, page 225:
2. (obsolete, transitive) To convince of by argument, or by reasons offered or suggested from reflection, etc.; to cause to believe (something).
   • But beloued, wee are perswaded better things of you, and things that accompany saluation, though we thus speake. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 6:9:
3. (archaic, regional, transitive) To urge, plead; to try to convince (someone to do something).
   • […] and hearken not vnto Hezekiah, when hee perswadeth you, saying, The Lord will deliuer vs. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings 18:32:
   • He did not persuade me long before I consented. 1861, E. J. Guerin, Mountain Charley, page 12:
   • She did not go into the coffee-room, though repeatedly persuaded by Miss Woodley, but waited at the door till her carriage drew up. 1791, Elizabeth Inchbald, A Simple Story, Oxford 2009 edition, page 119:
   • He persuaded me to go home, but I refused. 1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska, published 1987, page 34:

Forms

Antonyms

deter · dissuade · deter · unpersuade · unconvince · dissuade · mispersuade

Deriveds

unpersuade · persuadable · persuasive · persuadability · overpersuade · persuasion · persuasory · persuadee · persuader · mispersuade · repersuade

Hypernyms

change someone's mind · change someone's mind

Hyponyms

talk into · solicit · arm-twist · coerce · coax · tease · satisfy · bribe · brainwash · lobby · overpersuade · upsell · talk out of · incite · fast-talk

Relateds

suade · influence · allure · sway · induce · suasory

Synonyms

talk over · suade · gain over · wash with · argue · convict · persuade · convince · prevail upon · talk around · sway · convince · win over · draw · talk into · draw · bring round · procure · wheedle · get · coax · push · pimp

Translations (103)

ru убеди́ть (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · et keelitama (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · lt įkalbėti (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ru убежда́ть (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · et veenma (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · hrx përsuatiere (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nl overreden (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · got 𐌲𐌰𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ja 説く (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · lv pārliecināt (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · it convincere (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · mk убеди (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ko 설득하다 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh убије́дити (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · eo konvinki (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · bg убедя́ (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh убе́дити (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · de verführen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nb overtale (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cy perswadio (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · hy հորդորել (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nl overhalen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa متقاعد کردن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · pl przekonać (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fi taivutella (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh у̀верити (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · de bestechen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa قبولاندن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · uk перекона́ти (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cs přesvědčit (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · th โน้มน้าว (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · th ชักชวน (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · la persuādeō (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cmn 說服 /说服 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · grc πείθω (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · da overbevise (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · de dazu bringen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · pt persuadir (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nl persuaderen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ota اقناع ایتمك (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh ùvjeriti (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fr persuader (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sl prepríčati (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · grc ἀναπείθω (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh ùveriti (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · da overtale (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sv övertala (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · bg убежда́вам (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nl overtuigen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · es chamuyar (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa قانعیدن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · uk переко́нувати (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · vi thuyết phục (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cmn 勸 /劝 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · es persuadir (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ca persuadir (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · mi whakapakepake (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh у̀вјерити (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ro convinge (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa مجابیدن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ru уговори́ть (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · be запэ́ўніваць (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · pl przekonywać (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fi vakuuttaa (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh ubéditi (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · de überreden (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · be запэ́ўніць (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · hu rábeszél (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · it persuadere (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fi taivuttaa (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ar أَقْنَعَ (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · de gewinnen (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · lo ຊັກຊວນ (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · mk убедува (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fi suostutella (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · hu meggyőz (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · lt įtikinti (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · eo persvadi (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ml അനുനയിപ്പിക്കുക (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa رقبیدن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · tr razı etmek (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · az inandırmaq (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · la exōrō (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · lv pierunāt (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fa وادار کردن (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sh ubijéditi (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · nb overbevise (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sv övertyga (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cmn 勸說 /劝说 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ru угова́ривать (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · hu rávesz (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · tr ikna etmek (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · he שִׁכְנֵעַ (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ja 説得する (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · az razılaşdırmaq (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · gd iompaich (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sk presvedčiť (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · km បញ្ជោក (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ro persuada (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · fr convaincre (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · sl prepričevati (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · cmn 相勸 /相劝 (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to) · ga cuir i bhfeidhm (to successfully convince (someone) to agree to)