induce
v.v. to cause something to happen or to persuade someone to do something. It is often used when talking about medical treatments or scientific changes.
v. to bring about or give rise to a specific condition or state; to persuade or influence an individual toward a course of action. Often used in medical contexts regarding labor or in physics regarding electrical currents.
The doctor had to induce labor because the baby was late.
High levels of stress can induce physical symptoms like headaches and muscle tension in many adults.
The researchers aimed to induce a state of deep relaxation in the participants using a combination of rhythmic breathing and ambient soundscapes to measure cognitive recovery.
From Middle English enducen, borrowed from Latin indūcere (“lead in, bring in, introduce”), from in + dūcō (“lead, conduct”). Compare also abduce, adduce, conduce, deduce, produce, reduce etc. Doublet of endue.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. In medical contexts, it is frequently used in the passive voice.
The medicine induced to sleepThe medicine induced sleepInduce is a transitive verb and should be followed directly by a noun or noun phrase, not a prepositional phrase.