verb
persuade
puh-SWAYD
verb
1
To get someone to agree to or do something by giving reasons or arguments.
"It took twenty minutes to persuade her to try the food."
"He persuaded his boss to give the project one more month."
2
To convince someone that something is true.
"The evidence persuaded the jury of his innocence."
How to Use Persuade
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo talk someone into doing or believing something.
Common mistake
Persuade takes an object (you persuade someone); don't confuse with "convince," which can also take a "that" clause more naturally ("convince her that it's true" reads better than "persuade her that it's true," though both are used).
Easily confused with
Common pairings
persuade someone to do something
hard to persuade
persuaded by the argument
Word Forms
persuaded past tense, persuades singular
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It took twenty minutes to _____ her to try the food.
Etymology
From Latin persuadere, "to persuade" — built from per- ("thoroughly") and suadere ("to advise, urge"), the same root behind "suave" and "dissuade."