bring him around

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bring him around" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to persuading someone to change their mind or to regain consciousness. Example: "After a long discussion, I finally managed to bring him around to my point of view."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

She lacked Arnold's fatalism, however, and briefly thought that she could bring him around with her many skills.

The New Yorker

What I want to know is what were the talks he had with Bobby like when they forced Reggie out, and why was Bobby not able to bring him around and say "look, I understand this is an emotional event but this is a company now, not a student project, and we need to tie things up in an appropriate way".

TechCrunch

I chose irony and woman power to bring him around, in an environment that he had assiduously built himself.

HuffPost

Although you may think that by saying or doing the right thing you can bring him around, he's actually not in a state where he's truly receptive to your words and actions.

WikiHow

Some Palestinians said it was unlikely that Mrs. Clinton's comments, by themselves, would bring him around.

The New York Times

"We used to bring him to other people's houses," she said, "but now we don't bring him around.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Or, better, what brought him around to the game?

The New Yorker

He stayed up one whole night fighting with his father & finally brought him around to his way of thinking.

The New Yorker

Which brings him around to Jude's Law of Parenting: "Follow your children's lead, and steer if necessary".

The New York Times

While he was there, Galpin brought him around to see the poets Samuel Loveman and Hart Crane, both of whom were gay though this may be a coincidence.

The New Yorker

De Montebello's first reaction to the idea was "Not on my watch," but Tinterow brought him around, and the shark came to the Met in 2007 for an extended stay.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bring him around" when you want to convey the idea of successfully persuading someone to adopt a certain viewpoint or recover from a state of unconsciousness.

Common error

Avoid using "bring him around" when the context involves physically moving someone to a different location. The phrase primarily denotes persuasion or recovery, not physical relocation.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "bring him around" functions primarily as a verb of influence or restoration. It describes the action of changing someone's mind through persuasion or restoring them to consciousness. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating both usages.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrasal verb "bring him around" is a common expression used to describe either persuading someone to a particular viewpoint or helping someone regain consciousness. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While versatile, it's crucial to ensure the context aligns with the intended meaning of persuasion or recovery, avoiding its misuse for physical relocation. For alternative phrasing, consider using "persuade him", "convince him", or "win him over" for persuasion scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

persuade him

Focuses directly on convincing someone.

convince him

Highlights the act of making someone believe something.

win him over

Implies successfully persuading someone, often after resistance.

influence him

Emphasizes affecting someone's thoughts or actions.

talk him into it

Suggests persuading someone to do something they were initially reluctant to do.

sway him

Suggests gently changing someone's opinion.

bring him to his senses

Suggests restoring someone's rationality or awareness.

revive him

Implies bringing someone back to consciousness or activity.

rehabilitate him

Specifically refers to restoring someone to health or a useful life, implying a need for recovery.

restore him

Focuses on returning someone or something to a previous condition.

FAQs

How can I use "bring him around" in a sentence?

You can use "bring him around" to describe the act of convincing someone to agree with you or helping someone regain consciousness. For example, "It took a while, but I managed to bring him around to my way of thinking" or "They used smelling salts to bring him around after he fainted".

What's a good alternative to "bring him around" when referring to persuasion?

If you're talking about persuasion, you could use alternatives like "persuade him", "convince him", or "win him over".

Is it correct to say "bring him around" in a formal setting?

Yes, "bring him around" is generally acceptable in both formal and informal settings, though more formal alternatives might be preferred in highly professional or academic contexts.

What does it mean to "bring someone around"?

To "bring someone around" can mean either to persuade someone to agree with you or to help someone regain consciousness after fainting or being knocked out. The context usually makes the meaning clear.