dissuade
C1Formal
Definition
Meaning
to persuade someone not to do something.
To deter or discourage someone from a course of action or belief through reasoning or advice.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Involves an active, verbal attempt to change someone's intention. Often implies the person is already inclined to act and you are advising against it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Slightly formal in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally formal and somewhat uncommon in everyday speech in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
dissuade + object + from + gerund/nounVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Nothing will dissuade him”
- “A word to the wise is enough to dissuade”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to advise against risky investments or strategic decisions.
Academic
Common in ethical debates, policy analysis, or literature discussing character motivations.
Everyday
Used when talking about stopping someone from a foolish or dangerous personal action.
Technical
Rare; could appear in behavioral economics or psychology texts regarding decision-making.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I tried to dissuade her from moving to Edinburgh during the winter.
- The report aims to dissuade people from wasting water.
American English
- I tried to dissuade her from moving to Chicago during the winter.
- The campaign aims to dissuade teens from vaping.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I dissuaded my friend from eating the old cake.
- The doctor dissuaded him from taking that medicine without a prescription.
- Her parents tried to dissuade her from dropping out of university.
- Despite our efforts to dissuade the committee, they proceeded with the flawed plan.
- The alarming statistics were used to dissuade potential smokers.
- The ambassador sought to dissuade the hostile regime from further aggression through diplomatic channels.
- No amount of logical argument could dissuade her from her deeply held conspiracy theory.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DIS-SUADE. 'DIS' means 'away' or 'opposite'. 'SUADE' comes from the Latin 'suadere' (to advise). So, to advise someone away from an action.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSUASION IS A FORCE; dissuasion is applying an opposing force to stop a mental motion.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "discuss" (обсуждать).
- The Russian "отговорить" is a close match, but "dissuade" is more formal.
- Avoid using "dissuade" for physical prevention; it's about verbal reasoning.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I dissuaded him to go. Correct: I dissuaded him from going.
- Incorrect: She was dissuaded by the bad weather. (This is physical deterrence, not verbal advice).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'dissuade' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The main preposition is 'from', forming the pattern 'dissuade someone from doing something'.
No, it is more common in formal, written, or academic contexts. In everyday speech, 'talk out of' or 'discourage' are more frequent.
'Dissuade' focuses on persuasion through advice or argument. 'Deter' is broader and can involve threats, penalties, or physical barriers to prevent an action.
Rarely. It is almost always a transitive verb requiring a direct object (the person being advised). Example: 'He tried to dissuade them.'