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Definition of "persuade" []

  • 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. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "persuade" in a sentence
  • "The only people this movie might * possibly* persuade is people who were already on the fence and don't really care about any glaring ommissions from the film."
  • "He liked seemed taken aback at that; but he would fain persuade me 'at the rector was only in jest; and when that wouldn't do, he says,"
  • "The new Book is going on at a regular rate; and I would fain persuade myself that/his/health and spirits are at the same regular rate improving: more contented he certainly is, since he applied himself to this task; for he was not born to be anything but miserable in idleness."