Definition of persuade

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< perspire

persuasible >

per·suade    (pr-swd) KEY 

TRANSITIVE VERB:
per·suad·ed, per·suad·ing, per·suades

To induce to undertake a course of action or embrace a point of view by means of argument, reasoning, or entreaty: "to make children fit to live in a society by persuading them to learn and accept its codes" (Alan W. Watts). See Usage Note at convince.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Latin persudre : per-, per- + sudre, to urge; see swd- in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
per·suada·ble(Adjective), per·suader(Noun)

SYNONYMS:
persuade, induce, prevail, convince

These verbs mean to succeed in causing a person to do or consent to something. Persuade means to win someone over, as by reasoning or personal forcefulness: Nothing could persuade her to change her mind. To induce is to lead, as to a course of action, by means of influence or persuasion: "Pray what could induce him to commit so rash an action?" (Oliver Goldsmith). One prevails on somebody who resists: "He had prevailed upon the king to spare them" (Daniel Defoe). To convince is to persuade by the use of argument or evidence: The sales clerk convinced me that the car was worth the price.