suasion
/'sweiʤn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The act of persuading or attempting to persuade: The process of trying to influence someone's beliefs, attitudes, or actions through reasoning or argument.
- Communication intended to induce belief or action: Any form of discourse, such as speech or writing, that is designed to convince someone to adopt a particular viewpoint or to take a specific course of action.
Usage and Examples
General Use:
- The politician relied on gentle suasion rather than force to change public opinion.
- Effective suasion requires understanding the audience's values and concerns.
In Formal or Academic Contexts:
- The study examined the role of moral suasion in economic policy.
- Her argument was a powerful piece of suasion that convinced the committee.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "Moral Suasion": A specific phrase referring to the act of persuading someone to act in a certain way by appealing to their sense of morality or social responsibility, rather than using force or legal coercion. It is often used in contexts like economics, politics, or ethics.
- The central bank used moral suasion to encourage commercial banks to lend more responsibly.
Variants and Related Words
- Persuasion (n): The most common synonym, often used interchangeably with "suasion," though "persuasion" is more frequent in everyday language.
- Persuasive (adj): Having the quality of being able to persuade.
- She gave a very persuasive speech.
- Dissuasion (n): The act or process of persuading someone to do something; the opposite of suasion.
- His efforts at dissuasion were unsuccessful.
Synonyms
- Persuasion: The action or process of persuading someone.
- Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone.
- Exhortation: An address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something.
- Coaxing: Persuading someone gradually or by flattery to do something.
Antonyms
- Coercion: The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.
- Compulsion: The action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint.
- Dissuasion: As defined above.
Notes on Usage
- Formality: "Suasion" is a more formal, literary, or academic word than its synonym "persuasion." It is less common in everyday conversation.
- Typically Uncountable: It is generally used as an uncountable (mass) noun. One would not typically say "a suasion" or "suasions."
- Common Collocations: It frequently appears in the fixed phrase "moral suasion." It can also be paired with adjectives like , , , or .
Noun
- the act of persuading (or attempting to persuade); communication intended to induce belief or action