as in convincing
the act of reasoning or pleading with someone to accept a belief or course of action
a defense lawyer uses not only legal arguments but also moral suasion to appeal to a jury's sense of right and wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suasion
Read More: Believing Myths About Aging Makes Growing Old Worse
Initially, their belief in moral suasion worked.
—
Rebecca Brannon / Made By History, TIME, 3 July 2024
In this brilliant new look at the destruction of slavery during the American Civil War, Oakes reveals how the U.S. abolitionist movement relied not only on high-minded moral suasion but also on the small-bore legalistic strategy of the Republican Party.
—James Oakes, Foreign Affairs, 27 Dec. 2012
Beyond moral suasion is a clear policy against any form of discrimination that happens to be taking place.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2023
As psychologist Asa Hilliard later explained, among those strategies were moral suasion, litigation, grassroots organizing, civil disobedience, economic boycotts, the solicitation of corporate sponsors and the use of television.
—Bev-Freda Jackson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for suasion 
Rebecca Brannon / Made By History, TIME, 3 July 2024
In this brilliant new look at the destruction of slavery during the American Civil War, Oakes reveals how the U.S. abolitionist movement relied not only on high-minded moral suasion but also on the small-bore legalistic strategy of the Republican Party.
—James Oakes, Foreign Affairs, 27 Dec. 2012
Beyond moral suasion is a clear policy against any form of discrimination that happens to be taking place.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2023
As psychologist Asa Hilliard later explained, among those strategies were moral suasion, litigation, grassroots organizing, civil disobedience, economic boycotts, the solicitation of corporate sponsors and the use of television.
—Bev-Freda Jackson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for suasion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suasion
Noun
-
Recognizing The Challenges Unlike aggressive persuasion that requires immediate results, nudging is a subtle psychological tactic requiring a gradual approach for effective results.Harshit Jain, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Influence requires connection: the relationships and channels of communication through which persuasion and pressure can be exercised.Anne-Marie Slaughter, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
This level of specificity leads to higher conversion rates and improved return on investment (ROI).Jon Jacobson, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
-
The filing also details various financial agreements, including debt conversion agreements and convertible note agreements.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Through a combination of coercion and inducement, China has sought to simultaneously expand its geopolitical clout and mitigate its domestic overcapacity challenges by expanding its engagement with the global South.Leslie Vinjamuri, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2024
-
In football, especially, huge deals are used as inducements.Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near suasion
Cite this Entry
“Suasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suasion. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share