induced; inducing
1
somewhat formal
a
: to move by persuasion or influence
conditions that induced visitors to leave
b
: to call forth or bring about by influence or stimulation
purchases induced by clever advertising
2
3
: to determine by induction
specifically, logic
: to infer from particulars
Did you know?
Inducing is usually gentle persuasion; you may, for instance, induce a friend to go to a concert, or induce a child to stop crying. An inducement is something that might lure you to do something, though inducements are occasionally a bit menacing, like the Godfather's offer that you can't refuse. Induce also sometimes means "produce;" thus, doctors must at times induce labor in a pregnant woman. Notice that induct and induction are somewhat different from induce and inducement, though they come from the identical roots.
Cite this Entry
“Induce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/induce. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.
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