Persuading

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The effort to sway someone’s beliefs or decisions using logical reasoning or emotional appeal
2. The act of influencing another person's thoughts or actions through argument or appeal
3. Engaging in communication aimed at changing someone's mind or encouraging them to take a specific course

Etymology: "Persuading" is the present participle of "persuade," so its story is really the story of its base verb. That verb comes from Latin "persuādēre," built from "per," meaning "thoroughly" or "through," and "suādēre," meaning "to advise" or "to urge." To persuade, then, was originally to urge someone thoroughly, pressing a point until the listener gave way. The Latin root "suādēre" also gave English "suave" and "sweet" in a loose sense of pleasing, agreeable speech, a connection the broader family of words hints at. The same root stands behind words for advising and recommending, so the idea of gentle pressure in conversation runs through the whole group.

Synonyms: convincing, influencing, coaxing

Antonyms: dissuading, discouraging