persuasive

adjective

per·​sua·​sive pər-ˈswā-siv How to pronounce persuasive (audio)
-ziv
: tending to persuade
persuasively adverb
persuasiveness noun

Examples of persuasive in a Sentence

We weren't shown any persuasive evidence that he had committed the crime. a persuasive argument for increasing funding of the city's library system
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When the LLMs had been trained specifically to be persuasive, nonexpert LLM judges arrived at the correct answer 76% of the time. Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024 The broadcaster said his daughters' persuasive skills can sometimes leave him feeling powerless, but his pride makes up for it. Haley Van Horn, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024 In addition to the possibility of being overwhelmed by numbers, their persuasive power could have consequences that communicators need to consider. Ellen Peters, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2024 Find new solutions, become more persuasive, and share your personal story. Chris Westfall, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for persuasive 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of persuasive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near persuasive

Cite this Entry

“Persuasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persuasive. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

persuasive

adjective
per·​sua·​sive pər-ˈswā-siv How to pronounce persuasive (audio)
-ziv
: tending to persuade
a persuasive argument
persuasively adverb
persuasiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on persuasive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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