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
as in belief
an idea that is believed to be true or valid without positive knowledge
he's of the persuasion that everything that happens in this world is part of a divine plan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in effectiveness
the capacity to persuade
there was an inherent persuasion in his sonorous voice that made listeners put aside any misgivings about his message
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Power of persuasion Camacho understands that.
—
Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Research says that persuasion is possible in other ways.
—Lisa Pavia-Higel, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
Revere’s warning provided urgency and timing, not persuasion.
—Richard Torrenzano, Fortune, 26 May 2026
Cue’s recognition at the festival of creativity that is rooted in advertising and marketing conversations, along with all the related ad-tech, fin-tech and AI-powered tech that accompany the business of persuasion and reaching consumers with content.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persuasion
Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Research says that persuasion is possible in other ways.
—Lisa Pavia-Higel, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
Revere’s warning provided urgency and timing, not persuasion.
—Richard Torrenzano, Fortune, 26 May 2026
Cue’s recognition at the festival of creativity that is rooted in advertising and marketing conversations, along with all the related ad-tech, fin-tech and AI-powered tech that accompany the business of persuasion and reaching consumers with content.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for persuasion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persuasion
Noun
-
Recently, church officials and sociologists alike have pointed to indications that young Spaniards are showing an increasing interest in their spiritual lives, with anecdotal reports of rises in conversions among young adults.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Paying for a full Adobe subscription can feel like overkill if your PDF needs are pretty basic—a quick edit here, a file conversion there, maybe some light cleanup.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Previously, there were more than 200 religions officially recognized.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
-
The Christian religion was only tolerated in the communist dictatorship, and other religious sects were forbidden.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Brunson is at his best when everything is at its worst, blessed with belief that seems at times desperate and determination that can feel almost manic.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Recent Pew data shows that roughly 58 million Americans do not affirm belief in any god or universal spirit.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
This emphasis on user-friendly effectiveness is immediately apparent in CyberFOX’s simple setup approach.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Ervin recommends placing these about eight feet apart for maximum effectiveness.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The 70-year-old was explaining how the revival came about through years-long persuading of Emmy-winning creator and executive producer Linwood Boomer.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Each distortion is what happens when the body does the persuading, and the ideas are just the wardrobe.—
Alexis Coe,
Vanity Fair,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
However, according to the church’s website, some other Christian denominations, including evangelical groups, do not see the LDS Church as Christian and have described it as a cult.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
By the time Wachowski returned to the stage alongside Tilly, Gershon, Pantoliano, and Meloni, the room was practically vibrating with the adrenaline only a cult classic can inspire when its rabid fans finally find one another in the wild.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Ecology remained characteristic of her approach, but Carson now broadened her aims to encompass a mobilization of public opinion equal to the task of addressing the widespread harms of chemical pesticides in everyday life and agricultural ecosystems alike.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
Except where prohibited, acceptance of the Prize constitutes winner’s consent to Sponsor’s use of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, biographical information, hometown, and state for promotional purposes in any media without further payment of consideration.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
But his dictionary, with its conclusiveness, was a huge publishing success.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persuasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persuasion. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
