persuade

/pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/

//pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"persuade" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“persuade” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,379 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,379
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

persuade vs persuaded
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for persuade
PropertyValue
Headwordpersuade
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,379
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “persuade” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). persuade lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for persuade is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,379 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for persuade, with forms such as "eprsuade", "perrsuade", and "persaude". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "persuaded", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin persuādeō (“to persuade”). Cognate to for, sweet. The correct English form is persuade, spelled P-E-R-S-U-A-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence.
  2. 2
    To convince of by argument, or by reasons offered or suggested from reflection, etc.; to cause to believe (something).
  3. 3
    To urge, plead; to try to convince (someone to do something).

Etymology

From Latin persuādeō (“to persuade”). Cognate to for, sweet.

Synonyms

arguegetswaytalk intobring roundconvictconvincedrawgain overpersuadepimpprevail uponprocurepushsuadetalk aroundtalk overwash withwin over

Antonyms

deterdissuademispersuadeunconvinceunpersuade

This word in other languages

persuadir(Español)persuader(Français)überreden(Deutsch)persuadir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eprsuade,perrsuade,persaude,perssuade,persuadde,persuaed,persudae,perusade,pesruade,ppersuade,presuade

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of persuade - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

eprsuade2perrsuade1persaude2perssuade1persuadde1persuaed2persudae2perusade2
Edit distance from "persuade"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "persuade"?
"persuade" is spelled P-E-R-S-U-A-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/.
What does "persuade" mean?
As a verb, "persuade" means: To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence.
What words are commonly confused with "persuade"?
"persuade" is commonly confused with "persuaded". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "persuade"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "persuade" is /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "persuade"?
From Latin persuādeō (“to persuade”). Cognate to for, sweet. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “persuade”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-R-S-U-A-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pə(ɹ)ˈsweɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “persuaded” - see the side-by-side comparison. persuade vs persuaded
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list