überzeugend

Überzeugend is a German adjective meaning persuasive, convincing, or capable of persuading others. It is used to describe arguments, presentations, or people who are able to persuade. Common phrases include eine überzeugende Argumentation, ein überzeugender Redner, and überzeugend wirken. The adverbial form is ebenfalls überzeugend, as in Sie sprach überzeugend.

Etymology and related forms: The word derives from the verb überzeugen, meaning to persuade, which in turn comes from über- (over) and zeugen (to bear witness or to show). The sense involves presenting evidence or reasoning to move someone to belief. The related noun is Überzeugung, referring to conviction or belief, and Überzeugungskraft denotes persuasiveness or the strength of an argument.

Grammar and usage: As an adjective it inflects for gender, number, and case: der überzeugende Redner, das überzeugende Argument, die überzeugende Begründung; den überzeugenden Bericht; dem überzeugenden Vortrag. Antonym: unüberzeugend. In rhetoric and communication, überzeugend emphasizes the evidentiary strength and credibility of a claim; in science or scholarship, a überzeugende Studie or überzeugende Daten are those that effectively support a conclusion.

See also and usage notes: Related terms include Überzeugung (conviction), Überzeugungskraft (persuasiveness), and the adverbial usage überzeugend. In English contexts the equivalent term is persuasive or convincing. The term is common in debates, marketing, law, academia, and everyday discourse where efficacy of argument or presentation is evaluated.