To bring around means to convince someone to change their mind or accept your point of view. When you bring someone around to your way of thinking, you've persuaded them through good arguments, patience, or evidence.

Maybe your parents didn't want to get a dog at first, but after weeks of showing them you could handle the responsibility, you finally brought them around. Or perhaps your friend refused to try a new game, but after watching others have fun, you brought her around to giving it a chance.

The phrase suggests a gradual process rather than instant agreement. You don't force someone to change their mind; instead, you help them see things differently until they come to agree on their own. It's like leading someone on a journey from “no” to “yes.”

The phrase can also mean helping someone regain consciousness. If a person faints, a doctor might use smelling salts to bring them around. In this sense, you're bringing someone back around to awareness, like turning someone who was “out” back to being fully present.