convincing 1 of 3

convincing

2 of 3

noun

as in conversion
the act of reasoning or pleading with someone to accept a belief or course of action it will take a great deal of convincing to make them see our point of view

Synonyms & Similar Words

convincing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of convince

Synonym Chooser

How is the word convincing different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of convincing are cogent, sound, telling, and valid. While all these words mean "having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance," convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

Where would cogent be a reasonable alternative to convincing?

In some situations, the words cogent and convincing are roughly equivalent. However, cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

When would sound be a good substitute for convincing?

While in some cases nearly identical to convincing, sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

When can telling be used instead of convincing?

The synonyms telling and convincing are sometimes interchangeable, but telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

When is valid a more appropriate choice than convincing?

The words valid and convincing can be used in similar contexts, but valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent
a valid marriage

Examples of convincing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Bernal, who gave himself over so totally to a different sort of grappling physicality in the lucha libre biopic Cassandro, isn’t as convincing with the boxing side of La Máquina. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024 Disney and his team brought Mickey Mouse and the gang to life in a convincing way by laying down serious rules about movement, weight, volume and gravity. Mike Murchison, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 Direct suppliers face conflict and tension in both satisfying their buyer clients and in explaining, convincing, motivating and assisting their lower-tier suppliers. Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024 The report details a coordinated AI campaign using large language models (LLM) — the type of artificial intelligence that powers convincing, human-seeming chat bots like ChatGPT — to reply to other users. Kevin Collier, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for convincing 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'convincing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near convincing

Cite this Entry

“Convincing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convincing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on convincing

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