What does persuasion mean?
Word: Persuasion
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Persuasion means the act of getting someone to agree to something or to do something by giving good reasons.
Synonyms: convincing, urging
Antonyms: force, compulsion
How do you spell persuasion?
Syllables: per - sua - sion
Tricky part: The ending has the zh sound you hear in vision, and it is written sion, not tion (persuation).
Watch out for: persuation, persuassion, persuashion
Memory tip: Persuade turns into persuasion the way invade turns into invasion: the de goes and sion arrives.
Persuasion in a sentence
Example 1: It took a lot of persuasion before my little brother agreed to try bitter gourd.
Example 2: The shopkeeper used gentle persuasion rather than pushing us to buy the expensive shawl.
Example 3: With a little persuasion, the principal allowed us an extra day for the project.
Fun Fact
Persuasion is the title of Jane Austen's last completed novel, published in 1817.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
After a week of patient pursuasion from her grandmother, Naina finally agreed to join the school debating team for the inter-house contest.
a) debating
b) grandmother
c) pursuasion
d) contest
Show answer
c) pursuasion. The word starts with the same three letters as perfect and permit; pur is the slip.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word persuasion as used in the sentence:
No amount of persuasion could get my father to sell his old scooter.
a) warning
b) coaxing
c) silence
d) refusal
Show answer
b) coaxing. Coaxing means gently getting someone to agree, which is what persuasion is.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Mother's gentle rsoanpusie got my grandfather to try the new phone.
a) possession
b) suspension
c) aspersion
d) persuasion
Show answer
d) persuasion. Count the s's: the jumble has two, as persuasion does, while possession and suspension have more and aspersion has no u.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. persuasion 2. argumant 3. eloquance 4. negotiasion
a) the skill of speaking well and movingly
b) getting someone to agree by giving reasons
c) a talk in which people strongly disagree
d) formal talks held to reach an agreement
Show answer
b) getting someone to agree by giving reasons. Eloquence ends in ence, argument in ent and negotiation in tion, so each of those is misspelt here and persuasion is the word to define.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Someone with great powers of persuasion is good at ____.
a) running long distances
b) making others agree with them
c) repairing broken machines
d) remembering long lists of facts
Show answer
b) making others agree with them
2. Which of these depends on persuasion rather than force?
a) a lock on a front door
b) an advert for a new phone
c) a guard at a gate
d) a fence around a field
Show answer
b) an advert for a new phone
