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definitions

persuasive

[per-swey-siv, -ziv]
See more synonyms for persuasive on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. able, fitted, or intended to persuade: a very persuasive argument.
noun
  1. something that persuades; inducement.

Origin of persuasive

First recorded in 1580–90, persuasive is from the Medieval Latin word persuāsīvus. See persuasible, -ive
Related formsper·sua·sive·ly, adverbper·sua·sive·ness, nounnon·per·sua·sive, adjectivenon·per·sua·sive·ly, adverbnon·per·sua·sive·ness, nounpre·per·sua·sive, adjectiveun·per·sua·sive, adjectiveun·per·sua·sive·ly, adverbun·per·sua·sive·ness, noun

Synonyms for persuasive

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1. convincing, compelling, forceful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for persuasiveness

strength, influence, forcefulness, power, inducement

Examples from the Web for persuasiveness

Contemporary Examples of persuasiveness

  • Art depends for its effects, for its persuasiveness, on inevitability.

    The Daily Beast logo
    The Power of 'Straw Dogs'

    Malcolm Jones

    September 19, 2011

Historical Examples of persuasiveness

  • The persuasiveness that could sway a mob ended by sweeping M. Binet off his feet.

    Scaramouche

    Rafael Sabatini

  • This is the true rhetoric, the right road to persuasiveness, to be absolutely frank.

    Cyropaedia

    Xenophon

  • And there was some pressure, too, besides the persuasiveness.

    Under Western Eyes

    Joseph Conrad

  • He injected a little more of the oil of persuasiveness into his voice.

    Rim o' the World

    B. M. Bower

  • He spoke with so much grace and persuasiveness that I was fascinated no less than the abbe.

    Mauprat

    George Sand

British Dictionary definitions for persuasiveness

persuasive

adjective
  1. having the power or ability to persuade; tending to persuadea persuasive salesman
Derived Formspersuasively, adverbpersuasiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for persuasiveness

persuasive

adj.

1580s, from Middle French persuasif, from Medieval Latin persuasivus, from Latin persuas-, past participle stem of persuadere "persuade, convince" (see persuasion). Related: Persuasively; persuasiveness. Replaced earlier persuasible in this sense (see persuadable).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper