convince to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'convince to' is not a commonly used phrase that is found in English.
Generally speaking, it is preferred to use the phrase 'convince someone to' in written English. For example, "She had to convince her parents to let her stay out late."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As Kazin puts it, "He writes to convince, to argue, to establish his argument".

The New York Times - Books

The Zeckendorfs had investors that they had to convince to spend the money on the limestone.

The New York Times

For a novel – and a garden – to succeed, the lie has to convince, to beguile.

The Guardian - Books

"That's the group that we need to try to convince to do better in forest management".

The New York Times - Science

This approach largely eschews politics: the need to explain, to justify, to convince, to get people on board, to compromise".

The New York Times - Books

"This approach largely eschews politics: the needto explain, to justify, to convince, to get people on board, to compromise".

The New York Times - Magazine

But those whom Deloitte can convince to stay will strengthen Deloitte's claim that it can compete with the McKinsey-tier firms in consulting.

The Economist

"There's a certain runner who is really excited about the skirt and another girl you probably couldn't even convince to try it on," she said.

The New York Times

A. There are a certain number of data, parameters: Education — to participate in trying to convince, to lobby with our clubs vis-à-vis the governments.

The New York Times - Sports

Both are expressions of an almost oppressive sincerity, and of a rare faith in his own transcendent capacity to convince, to convert, and to entertain.

The New Yorker

The Qatar Investment Authority – the gulf state's sovereign wealth fund – is among the investors that MPS has hoped to convince to participate in the cash call.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always include a subject when using "convince": "convince someone to do something". This clarifies who is being persuaded.

Common error

Avoid using "convince to" without specifying who is being convinced. It's grammatically incorrect and can lead to confusion. Instead of "I need to convince to buy it", say "I need to convince him to buy it".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "convince to" functions as part of a verb phrase aiming to express persuasion. Although widely used, Ludwig AI indicates that this construction is not considered grammatically correct, because it lacks a direct object specifying who is being convinced. The correct form should be "convince someone to".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "convince to" is frequently encountered, Ludwig AI points out that it's generally considered grammatically incorrect due to the absence of a specified subject. The correct form, "convince someone to", should always be preferred to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. Although prevalent in news and media, it's essential to use the grammatically sound version, particularly in formal writing, to avoid potential misinterpretations. Always specify who you are trying to persuade for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

persuade someone to

Emphasizes the act of successfully influencing someone's belief or action.

influence someone to

Focuses on the general impact on someone's decision-making.

get someone to

A more informal way of saying persuade.

encourage someone to

Highlights the act of giving someone confidence to do something.

motivate someone to

Focuses on inspiring someone to take action.

induce someone to

Stresses the act of leading someone to a particular action or belief.

prompt someone to

Highlights the act of causing someone to do something.

win someone over to

Implies a process of gaining someone's support or agreement.

talk someone into

Suggests persuading someone through conversation.

coax someone into

Implies gentle and persistent persuasion.

FAQs

How to use "convince someone to" in a sentence?

The correct structure is "convince [person] to [verb]". For example, "I tried to "convince her to" stay", or "He needed to "convince the team to" support his idea".

What can I say instead of "convince to"?

Instead of using "convince to", use alternatives like "persuade someone to", "get someone to", or "influence someone to" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "convince to" or "convince someone to"?

"Convince someone to" is the grammatically correct form. "Convince to" is missing the direct object, which specifies who is being convinced. Always specify the person or group you are trying to persuade.

Is "convince of" different from "convince someone to"?

Yes, "convince of" implies persuading someone about the truth of something, while "convince someone to" means persuading them to take a specific action. For example, "I convinced him of the danger" vs. "I convinced him to leave".