# persuasion

/pɝˈsweɪʒən/ (US) · /pəswˈeɪʒən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/persuasion
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the act of convincing

noun · CEFR B2

the act of trying to make someone believe or do something by giving them good reasons.

For teachers: the process of convincing someone to adopt a particular belief or course of action through argument or reasoning.

- It took a lot of persuasion to get him to come to the party.
- The marketing team relied on subtle psychological persuasion rather than aggressive sales tactics to build long-term brand loyalty.

Usage: Often used with the verb 'take' or 'require'.

### 2. a belief or creed

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a particular set of religious or political beliefs that a person follows.

For teachers: a specific religious adherence, creed, or school of thought.

- People of all religious persuasions were invited to the community meeting.
- The conference brought together scholars of various political persuasions to debate the future of international trade agreements.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural or in the phrase 'of a [adjective] persuasion'.

### 3. a type or kind

noun · CEFR C2 · Humorous · Informal

a funny way to talk about a type of person, such as their job or gender.

For teachers: a humorous or euphemistic way to refer to a person's gender, profession, or nature.

- I don't usually get along with people of the artistic persuasion.
- The club was mostly frequented by gentlemen of the sporting persuasion who spent their weekends at the races.

Teaching tip: This sense is often used to add a playful or slightly old-fashioned tone to a description of someone's identity.

## Examples

- She used her powers of persuasion to get a better deal.
- It took a lot of persuasion to get my parents to let me travel alone this summer.
- The marketing campaign relied less on factual data and more on emotional persuasion, targeting the deep-seated anxieties of its audience to drive sales.

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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.