What does persuasiveness mean?
Persuasiveness is the quality of being able to persuade, meaning the capacity to make another person accept a view, agree with a claim, or adopt a course of action. It can arise from clear reasoning, relevant evidence, emotional appeal, confident delivery, or an effective combination of these elements. The word is especially common in discussions of public speaking, negotiation, advertising, advocacy, and argument. A persuasive presentation is not necessarily logically sound or truthful; it may be persuasiveness in a broad sense, although the term often suggests that the speaker has made a strong case. The related noun persuasion normally names the act or process of convincing someone, while persuasiveness emphasizes the quality or effectiveness of the persuasive method. Together, these terms distinguish the act of influencing opinion from the force or skill that makes that influence effective.
nounThe quality or power of being persuasive, especially of an argument, speaker, or method of influencing opinion. It refers to the ability to make someone accept a belief or course of action through reasoning, appeal, or rhetoric.
- The quality or power of persuading someone through argument, reasoning, appeal, or rhetoric.
"The speaker combined clear evidence with an emotional appeal, lending great persuasiveness to her case."
"The advertisement was noted for the persuasiveness of its claims rather than the strength of its evidence."
"Her natural warmth gave her speeches an unusual degree of persuasiveness."
The plural is grammatically possible but rarely used because persuasiveness usually names an abstract quality.
"The judges compared the persuasivenesses of the two competing arguments."
Persuasion seeks agreement; persuasiveness is the quality that makes agreement feel compelling.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does persuasiveness come from?
Persuasiveness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to persuasive, which in turn comes from persuade. The word persuade derives from Latin persuaders, meaning “to persuade by argument or appeal,” from per- and suadere, “to urge or advise.” Its historical relatives include persuasion, persuader, and persuadable, all developed from the same Latin foundation.
Related word forms
How persuasiveness is actually used
The word is formal and somewhat analytical. It is more common in discussion of rhetoric, persuasion, negotiation, and the presentation of evidence than in everyday conversation.