persuasive
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of persuasive
First recorded in 1580–90, persuasive is from the Medieval Latin word persuāsīvus. See persuasible, -ive
Explanation
If you are persuasive, then you have a knack for getting people to do things. Your most persuasive friend might be able to talk you into riding in a hot air balloon despite your fear of heights. People can be persuasive by using emotion or logic. A persuasive encyclopedia salesman might lead you to believe you'll be a smarter person with your own complete set of reference books. Temptations can also be persuasive. If your mom offers you ten dollars to walk her dog, you might find her offer very persuasive. Persuasive can be tricky to spell — remember that the u sounds like a w.
Vocabulary lists containing persuasive
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She described him as being "highly persuasive... a complex character" and "exciting to be with".
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Several quarters of consistent evidence would be more persuasive than one strong margin number.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Ladies and gentlemen, I must be pretty persuasive, because I got both.”
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
It’s an unusually persuasive portrait of a scholar, thanks to Ms. Sellier’s multilingual facility for abstruse speech and the way the movie shows her spending the bulk of her time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
She spent even more time with the debate team and at tournaments, once arguing in the persuasive category in favor of child support.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
