Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To prevent (someone) from a purpose or course of action by persuasion.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To advise or exhort against something; attempt to draw or divert from an action by the presentation of reasons or motives: as, he dissuaded his friend from his rash purpose.
  • To change from a purpose by persuasion or argument.
  • To give advice against; represent as undesirable, improper, or dangerous.
  • To give advice in opposition to some proposed course of action.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb Obsolescent To advise or exhort against; to try to persuade (one from a course).
  • transitive verb To divert by persuasion; to turn from a purpose by reasons or motives; -- with from.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To convince not to try or do.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb turn away from by persuasion

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin dissuādēre : dis-, dis- + suādēre, to advise; see swād- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin dissuādeō ("I urge differently”, “I advise against”, “I dissuade"), from dis- ("away from”, “asunder") + suādeō ("I recommend”, “I advise”, “I urge").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word dissuade.

Examples

  • One adventurous run that is sure to create a lifetime memory takes you to the majestic Towers of Paine, but don’t let the name dissuade you.

    Long May You Run Chris Cooper 2010

  • Albeit a funny name; don't let the name dissuade you.

    WN.com - Articles related to Canada OKs caffeine for non-cola soft drinks 2010

  • If you let the title dissuade you from checking out the post, you'll be missing one of those rare moments when absurd TV becomes meta-absurd and threatens the existence of the very foundation of all we hold sacred.

    October 2007 2007

  • If you let the title dissuade you from checking out the post, you'll be missing one of those rare moments when absurd TV becomes meta-absurd and threatens the existence of the very foundation of all we hold sacred.

    Font Talk 2007

  • Looking through the options one can find out that word dissuade seems to be a good match for second blank.

    LearnHub Activities 2009

  • Looking through the options one can find out that word dissuade seems to be a good match for second blank.

    LearnHub Activities 2008

  • Historically speaking, Penn state enacted this rule years ago in helping to "dissuade" the ownership of semiauto weapons.

    What's Up with Pennsylvania 2009

  • Historically speaking, Penn state enacted this rule years ago in helping to "dissuade" the ownership of semiauto weapons.

    What's Up with Pennsylvania 2009

  • Chinese officials, while they try to "dissuade" her from her cause, are always "extremely nice," she said.

    Political Diary 2008

  • GRACE: ... you would think, after all the publicity surrounding Mary Kay Letourneau and getting it on in, what was it, a Volkswagen Rabbit, after she got out on bond, that that would kind of dissuade other elementary school teachers from doing the same.

    CNN Transcript May 5, 2006 2006

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.