persuasion
noun
per·sua·sion
pər-ˈswā-zhən 
1
a
: the act or process or an instance of persuading
b
: a persuading argument
c
: the ability to persuade : persuasiveness
2
: the condition of being persuaded
3
a
: an opinion held with complete assurance
b
: a system of religious beliefs
also
: a group adhering to a particular system of beliefs
Examples of persuasion in a Sentence
It would take a lot of persuasion to get him to agree to such an offer.
Most kids don't need much persuasion to use computers.
people of all different persuasions
Recent Examples on the Web
The other trades persuasion for provocation, and risks shrinking the very coalition needed to survive.
—
Sam Raus, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
That’s because under polarized conditions, a true swing state is usually the place where both parties make the strongest efforts at persuasion, where the stakes of each election seem highest and the fear of the other party’s rule is sharpest among partisans on either side.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
Behind the curtain, that means a lot of patience, persuasion and persistence.
—Nikolaus Kimla, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
In Dickinson’s telling, Dale Carnegie himself helped McCardell cultivate her powers of persuasion.
—Julia Turner, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for persuasion
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Sam Raus, Oc Register, 13 July 2025
That’s because under polarized conditions, a true swing state is usually the place where both parties make the strongest efforts at persuasion, where the stakes of each election seem highest and the fear of the other party’s rule is sharpest among partisans on either side.
—Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
Behind the curtain, that means a lot of patience, persuasion and persistence.
—Nikolaus Kimla, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
In Dickinson’s telling, Dale Carnegie himself helped McCardell cultivate her powers of persuasion.
—Julia Turner, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for persuasion
Cite this Entry
“Persuasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persuasion. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
persuasion
noun
per·sua·sion
pər-ˈswā-zhən
1
: the act of persuading
2
: the power or ability to persuade
3
: the state of being persuaded
4
a
: a way of believing
especially
: a system of religious beliefs
b
: a group having the same religious beliefs
Medical Definition
persuasion
noun
per·sua·sion
pər-ˈswā-zhən
: a method of treating neuroses consisting essentially in rational conversation and reeducation
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