Word
dissuade
Phoneticsdis·suade, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈsweɪd/
UK/dɪswˈeɪd/
Definition
v. to persuade someone not to do something. You use this when you give someone reasons why their plan is a bad idea.
v. 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.”
Examples
simple
“I tried to dissuade him from quitting his job.”
contextual
“The high cost of the project might dissuade the board from approving the expansion this year.”
complex
“Despite her parents' attempts to dissuade her from pursuing a career in the arts, she remained steadfast in her commitment to her studies.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and almost always takes the preposition 'from' followed by a gerund or noun phrase.
Pitfall
dissuade him to go
dissuade him from going
Unlike 'persuade', which takes a 'to-infinitive', 'dissuade' requires 'from' plus the '-ing' form.
Real-World Examples
“She was, however, very nearly dissuaded from having children, for fear of passing on her conditions.” “They only received mattresses and blankets if they stumped up the full amount, had to pay to charge their phones and received death threats to dissuade them from reporting their situation, the police added.” Etymology
From Middle French dissuader, from Latin dissuādeō (“I urge differently”, “I advise against”, “I dissuade”), from dis- (“away from”, “asunder”) + suādeō (“I recommend”, “I advise”, “I urge”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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