# dissuade

/dɪˈsweɪd/ (US) · /dɪswˈeɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dissuade
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

to persuade someone not to do something. You use this when you give someone reasons why their plan is a bad idea.

For teachers: to persuade someone against a particular course of action. Transitive; typically requires a direct object followed by a prepositional phrase.

## Examples

- I tried to dissuade him from quitting his job.
- The high cost of the project might dissuade the board from approving the expansion this year.
- Despite her parents' attempts to dissuade her from pursuing a career in the arts, she remained steadfast in her commitment to her studies.

## Pitfalls

- Not "dissuade him to go" but "dissuade him from going" — Unlike 'persuade', which takes a 'to-infinitive', 'dissuade' requires 'from' plus the '-ing' form.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and almost always takes the preposition 'from' followed by a gerund or noun phrase.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.