PERSUASION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does persuasion mean? 

• PERSUASION (noun)
  The noun PERSUASION has 2 senses:

1. the act of persuading (or attempting to persuade); communication intended to induce belief or action

2. a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

  Familiarity information: PERSUASION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PERSUASION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of persuading (or attempting to persuade); communication intended to induce belief or action

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

persuasion; suasion

Hypernyms ("persuasion" is a kind of...):

communicating; communication (the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "persuasion"):

line (persuasive but insincere talk that is usually intended to deceive or impress)

arm-twisting (persuasion by the use of direct personal pressure)

bell ringing; canvassing; electioneering (persuasion of voters in a political campaign)

exhortation; incitement (the act of exhorting; an earnest attempt at persuasion)

proselytism (the practice of proselytizing)

sloganeering (persuasion by means of empty slogans)

prompting; suggestion (persuasion formulated as a suggestion)

artillery; weapon (a means of persuading or arguing)

Antonym:

dissuasion (persuading not to do or believe something; talking someone out of a belief or an intended course of action)

Derivation:

persuade (cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

opinion; persuasion; sentiment; thought; view

Context example:

what are your thoughts on Haiti?

Hypernyms ("persuasion" is a kind of...):

belief (any cognitive content held as true)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "persuasion"):

idea (a personal view)

judgement; judgment; mind (an opinion formed by judging something)

eyes (opinion or judgment)

parti pris; preconceived idea; preconceived notion; preconceived opinion; preconception; prepossession (an opinion formed beforehand without adequate evidence)

pole (one of two divergent or mutually exclusive opinions)

political sympathies; politics (the opinion you hold with respect to political questions)

 Context examples 

Elizabeth was determined; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

He gave his consent with very little persuasion.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Persuasion is not at command; but pardon me, if I cannot even endeavour to persuade him.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

It had been the effect of over-persuasion.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

For a long time I have thought that each post would bring this line, and my persuasions have restrained my uncle from undertaking a journey to Ingolstadt.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Ham yielded to this persuasion, and took his hat to go.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My iron shroud contracted round me; persuasion advanced with slow sure step.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

And drawing him a little aside, she whispered her persuasion that Lucy could not stay much longer.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

But as such were Fanny's persuasions, she suffered very much from them, and could never speak of Miss Crawford without pain.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Women work a good many miracles, and I have a persuasion that they may perform even that of raising the standard of manhood by refusing to echo such sayings.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)