convince about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "convince about" is not a standard construction in written English. It is better to use the phrase "convince someone of something," or "persuade someone about something." For example: I'm trying to convince my boss about the merits of my new business plan.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Poniewozik diagnoses a condition, but doesn't entirely convince about its insidiousness.

The New Yorker

The Pro Patria players said later that they had tried and failed to convince about a dozen fans to stop the racist abuse, The Associated Press reported.

The New York Times

There will be some people I will never convince about why I thought it was necessary to support the US in this venture.

The Guardian - Opinion

To match what Isiah Thomas, the former Knicks' coach, used to hear at Madison Square Garden, those 20 fans would have needed to convince about 20,000 more people to join them.

The New York Times

Perhaps that sounds harsh but these are the people your personal VC contact may have to convince about your startup.

TechCrunch

Meanwhile, JPMorgan expects Ford to have to pay about $710 million to convince about 9,000 hourly workers to retire as part of its upcoming plant-closing announcement.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"I'm convinced about him".

The New York Times - Sports

"I am not convinced about anything else".

The New York Times

But some experts are already convinced about where responsibility lies.

The New York Times

I will never be convinced about patchwork wallpaper.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I'm not convinced about the solidity of anything.

The Guardian - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct preposition "of" after "convince" when aiming to express the action of making someone believe something. For example, say "convince someone of something" instead of "convince someone about something".

Common error

Avoid using "about" after "convince". The correct preposition is "of". So, instead of saying "I need to convince him about the importance of this project", say "I need to convince him of the importance of this project".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "convince about" functions as part of a verb phrase where the intention is to express the act of persuading someone regarding a particular topic. Ludwig AI identifies this construction as non-standard English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "convince about" appears in some sources, it's considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "convince someone of something". As Ludwig AI notes, standard English prefers the preposition "of" in this context. Although examples can be found in News & Media, Wiki and Science domains, it is best to use the correct form, especially in professional or academic writing. It is advisable to opt for alternative constructions like "persuade about" or "convince of" for improved clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

convince someone of something

This is the standard and grammatically correct construction, replacing 'about' with 'of'.

persuade someone of something

Uses 'persuade' with the correct preposition 'of', making it grammatically sound and very similar in meaning.

persuade someone about something

Uses 'persuade' instead of 'convince', offering a slight difference in nuance but retaining the 'about' (though 'of' is still preferred).

win someone over to

Suggests a successful effort to gain someone's support or agreement.

bring someone around to

Implies a gradual change in opinion through persuasion.

sway someone's opinion on

Highlights changing someone's opinion through persuasive arguments.

get someone to believe in

Shifts the focus to belief rather than direct persuasion.

sell someone on

Uses a more informal, sales-oriented metaphor for convincing.

influence someone regarding

Focuses on the act of influencing, which can be broader than convincing.

satisfy someone that

Focuses on providing enough evidence or reasons to make someone feel content or certain about something.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use the verb "convince"?

The standard construction is to "convince someone of something", not "convince someone about something". For example, "I convinced her of my sincerity" is correct.

What preposition should I use with "convince": "of" or "about"?

The correct preposition to use with "convince" when indicating what someone is persuaded of is "of". Using "about" is generally considered incorrect. Consider alternatives like persuade, where using about may be acceptable.

Are there alternatives to saying "convince about"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "persuade about" (though "of" is preferred), "convince of", or rephrase the sentence to use a different verb altogether.

Is "convince about" grammatically correct?

No, "convince about" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is "convince of". For example, "I convinced him of my plan" is correct, while "I convinced him about my plan" is not.