persuade
B1Neutral to Formal. Common in all registers but slightly more frequent in formal, academic, and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To cause someone to do something, or to believe something is true or good, through reasoning, argument, or entreaty.
Used more broadly to mean causing someone to adopt a certain state of mind or opinion, not necessarily through explicit argument (e.g., 'He persuaded himself it was right').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a successful outcome—someone is *persuaded* if they change their mind or act. Compare with 'try to persuade'. Often involves appealing to reason or emotion. Governs a direct object (the person) and can be followed by an infinitive ('persuade him to go') or a *that*-clause ('persuade him that it was necessary').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or grammatical patterns. Minor stylistic preferences in collocations may exist.
Connotations
Equally neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] persuade [NP] to INF (She persuaded me to stay).[NP] persuade [NP] that CLAUSE (They persuaded her that the plan was sound).[NP] persuade [NP] of [NP] (Can you persuade him of the need for action?).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Persuade against one's better judgment.”
- “A hard/tough sell (informal for something difficult to persuade someone about).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in negotiations, sales, and management to describe influencing decisions ('persuade the client to sign', 'persuade the team to adopt the new strategy').
Academic
Common in rhetoric, philosophy, and social sciences to discuss argumentation and influence ('The study aims to persuade readers of its central thesis').
Everyday
Used in social contexts to describe influencing friends or family ('I persuaded my brother to come to the cinema').
Technical
Not typically a technical term, but used in fields like marketing and psychology related to influence and behaviour change.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The advert is designed to persuade you to buy the product.
- I'm not sure I can be persuaded to go camping in this weather.
American English
- The lawyer's job is to persuade the jury of his client's innocence.
- She finally persuaded me to try that new sushi place.
adverb
British English
- He argued very persuasively for the policy change.
- She spoke persuasively about the benefits.
American English
- The proposal was persuasively written.
- He can talk persuasively on almost any topic.
adjective
British English
- She has a very persuasive manner.
- The argument was not particularly persuasive.
American English
- He made a persuasive case for the investment.
- The data provided persuasive evidence for the theory.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My friend persuaded me to watch the film.
- Can you persuade your dad to drive us?
- The travel agent persuaded us to book the more expensive holiday.
- I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen.
- Despite the compelling evidence, she could not be persuaded to change her opinion.
- The report persuasively argues for a complete overhaul of the system.
- Through a deft combination of logical argument and emotional appeal, the speaker persuaded the sceptical audience to support the initiative.
- His thesis persuades the reader of the profound influence of economic factors on the period's art.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PERsuade' – you have to PERSist with your argument to make someone agree.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERSUASION IS A FORCE (She was swept along by his arguments), PERSUASION IS A JOURNEY (He led them to a different conclusion).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'уговорить', which can imply prolonged begging or nagging; 'persuade' focuses more on reasoning. 'Убедить' is a closer match.
- Do not confuse with 'persuasion' as a noun (убеждение) – ensure correct verb form in sentence structure.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'persuade' without a clear object (*'I tried to persuade to come'* – INCORRECT; must be *'persuade him to come'*).
- Confusing 'persuade' (successful action) with 'try to persuade' (attempt).
- Using the preposition 'for' incorrectly (*'I persuaded him for going'* – INCORRECT; must be *'...to go'*).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'persuade' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, 'convince' relates to belief ('convince someone that something is true') and 'persuade' relates to action ('persuade someone to do something'). In modern usage, this distinction is often blurred, especially in informal American English, where they are frequently used interchangeably.
Rarely. It is almost always a transitive verb requiring a direct object (the person being influenced). Intransitive use is archaic or poetic (e.g., 'a voice that persuades').
It is a dynamic verb, describing an action or process. It can be used in progressive forms (e.g., 'He is persuading them now').
The main patterns are: 1) persuade + someone + *to* + infinitive. 2) persuade + someone + *that* + clause. 3) persuade + someone + *of* + noun phrase.
Collections
Part of a collection
Media and Communication
B1 · 50 words · Language for discussing media and communication.
Debate Vocabulary
B2 · 48 words · Language for constructing arguments and discussions.