persuaded

Persuaded is the past tense and past participle of the verb persuade. As an adjective, it describes someone who has been convinced or swayed by reasoning, evidence, or appeal. In formal writing it can indicate a settled belief, as in “We are persuaded that the proposal is sound.”

Etymology: Persuaded derives from Latin persuadere, meaning “to prevail upon, advise,” formed from per- “through” and suadere “to urge” or “to advise,” with the sense entering English via Old French.

Usage: In everyday speech, “she was persuaded to accept the offer” implies influence by argument or appeals rather than force. In formal contexts, phrases such as “the jury was persuaded by the testimony” denote that the evidence led to a belief or decision. The expression “be persuaded” is common in religious or formal rhetoric to indicate acceptance after consideration.

Related concepts include persuasion and conviction. Ethical considerations in persuasion involve respect for autonomy and avoiding manipulation. Psychological studies of persuasion identify factors such as authority, consistency, social proof, and scarcity as influences on how people are convinced.