# inducing

/ˌɪnˈdusɪŋ/ (US) · /ɪndjˈuːsɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inducing
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. causing a result

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

causing a particular physical condition or situation to happen.

For teachers: bringing about or giving rise to a specific physical or psychological state. Often used in medical or technical contexts regarding the initiation of a process.

- The doctor gave her medicine for inducing sleep during the long flight.
- The researchers observed that the chemical compound was highly effective at inducing a state of deep relaxation in the subjects without causing side effects.

Usage: Often followed by a noun phrase representing the state being created.

### 2. persuading

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

persuading or influencing someone to do something.

For teachers: persuading or influencing an agent to take a specific course of action. This sense is transitive and requires a direct object.

- They are inducing more people to join the club by offering a discount.
- The marketing campaign was specifically designed for inducing younger consumers to switch from traditional banking to digital platforms.

Usage: Typically takes a direct object followed by a 'to' infinitive.

### 3. having the power to cause

adjective · CEFR C2 · Academic

describing something that has the power to make something else happen.

For teachers: possessing the quality or power to bring about a particular effect. Frequently appears as the second element in compound adjectives.

- The drug has sleep-inducing effects that start working within minutes.
- The report highlighted several anxiety-inducing factors in the modern workplace that contribute to high employee turnover rates.

Usage: Commonly used in hyphenated compounds like 'sleep-inducing' or 'stress-inducing'.

## Examples

- The doctor is inducing labor because the baby is late.
- The medication works by inducing a deep sleep that allows the patient's body to recover from the trauma.
- High levels of stress are capable of inducing physiological changes that, if left unaddressed, may lead to chronic health complications or a weakened immune response.

---

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.