1
as in convincing
the act of reasoning or pleading with someone to accept a belief or course of action the suffragists' gradual persuasion of the American people that voting rights had to be extended to women

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in religion
a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities debating theology with someone of a different persuasion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun persuasion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of persuasion are belief, conviction, opinion, sentiment, and view. While all these words mean "a judgment one holds as true," persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.

was of the persuasion that everything changes

When might belief be a better fit than persuasion?

In some situations, the words belief and persuasion are roughly equivalent. However, belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent.

a firm belief in her party's platform

When could conviction be used to replace persuasion?

The meanings of conviction and persuasion largely overlap; however, conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief.

the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human

When is opinion a more appropriate choice than persuasion?

The words opinion and persuasion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute.

each expert seemed to have a different opinion

Where would sentiment be a reasonable alternative to persuasion?

The synonyms sentiment and persuasion are sometimes interchangeable, but sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings.

her feminist sentiments are well-known

When can view be used instead of persuasion?

The words view and persuasion can be used in similar contexts, but view suggests a subjective opinion.

very assertive in stating his views

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of persuasion His persona was a paragon of the hale straight American white guy spotted in droves from Puget Sound to Indianapolis and on down into the panhandle of Florida, with a wife, two grown kids, and two mortgages, probably a Republican but open to persuasion. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 Use your powers of persuasion as Mercury retrograde aligns with Pluto. USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025 Cialdini’s thesis is that there are six fundamental principles of persuasion. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025 Sales and Negotiation While AI transforms many aspects of business, the uniquely human arts of persuasion and relationship-building command ever-higher premiums. Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for persuasion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persuasion
Noun
  • Books The Faithless Generation Paul Baumann Traditional religion thrives in stable communities, not a world where innovators aim to ‘break things.’ Books Lies, Damned Lies, and Ideology John O’Sullivan The ideological lie persists, demanding compulsion to enforce its vision.
    Mary Katharine Ham, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Huge ideas concerning faith and religion also don’t amount to much.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Their belief in this project means the world to me.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • As algorithms and politics herd us into narrower and narrower silos, the pressure increases on artists (as well as comedians, actors, and even brands) to mirror their fans’ core beliefs.
    Ryan Miller, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These improvements are likely to boost conversion rates, increase average order values, and improve advertising efficiency both on Amazon’s platform and beyond.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Big chances have almost doubled (1.5 per match to 3), as has Everton’s big-chance conversion rate (21 per cent to 41 per cent).
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Several of these involve a furtive religious cult known as the Scars — its adherents have a way of pussyfooting through the forest and doing absolutely horrible things to nonbelievers.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
  • According to Argentina prosecutor Fernando Arrigo, the pregnant woman may have been a victim of Rudnev’s Ashram Shambala, an organization described by Russian authorities as a cult.
    Betiana Fernández Martino and Hira Humayan, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Some Chinese opinion leaders appeared to suggest off-ramps in the trade war.
    Beijing and Washington Bureaus, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The more Tropper thought about it, the more one actor appeared in his mind for Coop: Jon Hamm.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Price upon publish date of this article: $780 What to Look for in a Crossbody Phone Bag Special features: When shopping for a crossbody phone bag, there are a few key features to keep in mind.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • As the pulse of Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter brings a distinctive voice backed by 95 years of history, giving us unparalleled access and authority in the entertainment world.
    THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The cause of the roof collapse wasn't immediately clear as authorities investigated.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Ideally, in my view, any changes to Social Security should also help constrain the future growth of federal spending, given the current and projected growth in the budget deficit.
    Dennis W. Jansen, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Here, retailers’ views on the latest edition of Watches and Wonders. Carla Chalouhi, president and CEO, Arije Overall impression: This year was expected to be a quiet one.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Persuasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persuasion. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on persuasion

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!