To persuade someone means to convince them to believe something or do something through reasoning, explanation, or appeal. When you persuade your parents to let you stay up later by explaining how much homework you have left, or when you persuade a friend to try a new game by describing how fun it is, you're using words and ideas to change their mind or get them to agree with you.

Persuasion means giving someone reasons to see things your way. A lawyer persuades a jury by presenting evidence. A scientist persuades other researchers by sharing experimental results. You might persuade your teacher to give the class extra recess time by pointing out how hard everyone worked that week.

The key difference between persuading and forcing is that persuasion respects the other person's ability to make their own choice. You present your case, they consider it, and they decide. Good persuasion often requires understanding what matters to the person you're trying to convince. If you want to persuade your parents to get a dog, talking about how cute it would be might not work as well as explaining how you'll handle the responsibility of caring for it.

People who are skilled at persuasion are called persuasive. Being persuasive is a valuable skill in life, from convincing your friends which movie to watch to explaining your ideas in a class presentation.