were persuaded to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were persuaded to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where someone was convinced or influenced to take a particular action. Example: "They were persuaded to join the campaign after hearing the compelling arguments presented by the organizers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Perhaps these people were persuaded to talk.

The New York Times

"How they were persuaded to do this, I don't know.

The Guardian

The goats who roamed the island were "persuaded to leave".

The Guardian - Travel

But they were persuaded to hold it back and remake the songs in a professional studio.

The New York Times - Arts

One by one, from last September to January, the men were persuaded to accept housing.

The New York Times

The sellers were persuaded to kick in $10,000 more to pay for the work.

The New York Times

The two female housemates were persuaded to kiss in a game of Truth or Dare.

Independent

After some brokering from the Union Cycliste Internationale, the two British organisations were persuaded to unite.

The Guardian - Sport

When a few brave souls spoke out or even resigned, they were persuaded to keep quiet.

The Guardian - Books

During the year, over 130,000 refugees were persuaded to return to Afghanistan voluntarily.

The Economist

3,981 fans were persuaded to buy shares at €720 each share, raising €18.7m.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were persuaded to", ensure the sentence clearly indicates who did the persuading. This adds clarity and strengthens the impact of the sentence.

Common error

Avoid using "were persuaded to" without specifying the actor who did the persuading. This can lead to vagueness and weaken the impact of your statement. Always clarify who influenced the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were persuaded to" functions as a passive construction indicating that an entity was influenced or convinced to perform an action. Ludwig AI examples show it describing shifts in decisions and actions due to external influences. The phrase effectively redirects focus from the persuader to the persuaded.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

16%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were persuaded to" functions as a passive construction indicating influence or conviction leading to a specific action. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across diverse contexts. Its usage spans from news and media to academic and scientific writing, making it a versatile tool for expressing externally influenced decisions. To ensure clarity, specifying the source of persuasion is crucial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were convinced to

Emphasizes the change in belief that led to the action.

were induced to

Highlights the external influence that prompted the action.

were influenced to

Focuses on the impact of external factors on their decision.

were prompted to

Suggests a stimulus that initiated the action.

were moved to

Highlights an emotional motivation for the action.

were compelled to

Suggests a sense of obligation or necessity.

were led to believe

Emphasizes the acceptance of certain information that guided their actions.

were coaxed into

Highlights a gentle and persuasive approach.

were talked into

Focuses on the verbal persuasion involved.

were won over to

Suggests a complete change of opinion resulting in action.

FAQs

How to use "were persuaded to" in a sentence?

Use "were persuaded to" to indicate that someone was convinced or influenced to take a particular action. For example: "They "were persuaded to join" the campaign after hearing the compelling arguments."

What can I say instead of "were persuaded to"?

You can use alternatives such as "were convinced to", "were influenced to", or "were induced to" depending on the context.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "persuade"?

Whether to use active or passive voice depends on the context. "They persuaded him" (active) emphasizes the persuaders. "He was persuaded" (passive) emphasizes the person persuaded and can be used when the persuader is unknown or unimportant.

What is the difference between "were persuaded to" and "were encouraged to"?

"Were persuaded to" suggests a stronger influence or convincing argument, while "were encouraged to" implies a more supportive or motivational influence.