induce
verb
in·duce in-ˈdüs 
-ˈdyüs
induced; inducing
transitive verb
1
a
: to move by persuasion or influence
b
: to call forth or bring about by influence or stimulation
2
a
: effect, cause
b
: to cause the formation of
c
: to produce by induction
induce an electric current
3
: to determine by induction
specifically : 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.
Synonyms
- beget
- breed
- bring
- bring about
- bring on
- catalyze
- cause
- create
- do
- draw on
- effect
- effectuate
- engender
- generate
- invoke
- make
- occasion
- produce
- prompt
- result (in)
- spawn
- translate (into)
- work
- yield
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The advertisement is meant to induce people to eat more fruit. No one knows what induced him to leave. Her illness was induced by overwork. They will induce labor to avoid complications.
Recent Examples on the Web Blue microbeads soaked in SCUBE3 protein induce new hair growth in mice (right). 
WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 As a warm front lifts northward across the Plains, the sticky air mass that settles in and the daytime heating from the sun will help induce thunderstorm development into the early afternoon hours. Derek Van Dam, CNN, 12 May 2022 With their second child due three weeks later, Haley — with the help of her doctors — made the decision to induce labor early to give Jb an opportunity to meet his new son. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 16 Dec. 2021 But bug bounty experts questioned whether the payment Uber gave to the hackers fell within the ethical boundaries of such programs, which are designed to induce people to report security flaws so they can be fixed. Kate Conger, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2020 Research on infections shows that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants seem to induce stronger immune response than BA.1 and BA.2. Jen Christensen, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022 Vaccines are designed to induce a strong and long-lasting immune response through the creation of specialty immune system cells, called memory T cells and B cells. Julie Washington, cleveland, 16 July 2022 So, even when viral genes would normally induce STAND to kill cells, these STAND inhibitors allowed the cells to continue growing. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2022 There's still plenty of exposure, which means the whims of the market could induce more misery. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 2 Aug. 2022 See More
WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 As a warm front lifts northward across the Plains, the sticky air mass that settles in and the daytime heating from the sun will help induce thunderstorm development into the early afternoon hours. Derek Van Dam, CNN, 12 May 2022 With their second child due three weeks later, Haley — with the help of her doctors — made the decision to induce labor early to give Jb an opportunity to meet his new son. Jason Duaine Hahn, PEOPLE.com, 16 Dec. 2021 But bug bounty experts questioned whether the payment Uber gave to the hackers fell within the ethical boundaries of such programs, which are designed to induce people to report security flaws so they can be fixed. Kate Conger, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2020 Research on infections shows that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants seem to induce stronger immune response than BA.1 and BA.2. Jen Christensen, CNN, 4 Aug. 2022 Vaccines are designed to induce a strong and long-lasting immune response through the creation of specialty immune system cells, called memory T cells and B cells. Julie Washington, cleveland, 16 July 2022 So, even when viral genes would normally induce STAND to kill cells, these STAND inhibitors allowed the cells to continue growing. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2022 There's still plenty of exposure, which means the whims of the market could induce more misery. Julia Horowitz, CNN, 2 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French inducer, from Latin inducere, from in- + ducere to lead — more at tow entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
induce
verb
in·duce in-ˈdüs
-ˈdyüs
induced; inducing
1
: to cause to do something
Her pleas induced us to give.
2
: to bring about
Warm milk induces sleepiness.
3
: to produce (as an electric current) by induction
Medical Definition
induce
transitive verb
in·duce in-ˈd(y)üs
induced; inducing
1
: to cause or bring about
anesthesia induced by drugs
: as a(1)
: to cause the embryological formation of
the optic cup induces lens tissue in the adjacent ectoderm
(2)
: to cause to form through embryonic induction
induce ectoderm to form a neural tube
b
: to cause or initiate by artificial means
induced abortion
induced labor
2
: to produce anesthesia in
the patient was induced by a mixture of thiopental and curare
induces
verb
1
as in causes
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) the medication induced labor Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- causes
- creates
- generates
- brings
- prompts
- produces
- spawns
- does
- invokes
- catalyzes
- yields
- engenders
- works
- begets
- effects
- makes
- effectuates
- encourages
- promotes
- brings about
- brings on
- draws on
- introduces
- brings forth
- breeds
- occasions
- initiates
- inaugurates
- translates (into)
- establishes
- fosters
- gives rise to
- determines
- founds
- begins
- cultivates
- launches
- results (in)
- develops
- enacts
- nurtures
- renders
- decides
- starts
- furthers
- nourishes
- conduces (to)
- institutes
- pioneers
- contributes (to)
- innovates
- fathers
- turns out
- forwards
- sets up
- sets
- advances
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- restricts
- impedes
- limits
- suppresses
- inhibits
- represses
- dampens
- stifles
- subdues
- smothers
- quells
- restrains
- controls
- crushes
- squashes
- arrests
- curbs
- reins (in)
- retards
- kills
- checks
- squelches
- destroys
- quashes
- abolishes
- extinguishes
- clamps down (on)
- quenches
- cracks down (on)
- puts down
- liquidates
- demolishes
- snuffs (out)
- stills
- cans
2
as in persuades
to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests finally induced the eyewitness to the gangland slaying to cooperate with the police Synonyms & Similar Words
- persuades
- convinces
- brings
- gets
- satisfies
- attracts
- urges
- converts
- argues
- moves
- coaxes
- entices
- gains
- seduces
- tempts
- prompts
- exhorts
- entreats
- sells
- lures
- brings around
- cajoles
- allures
- influences
- beguiles
- wins (over)
- wheedles
- sways
- talks (into)
- prevails (on or upon)
- brainwashes
- leads on
- draws
- discusses
- inclines
- snows
- interests
- converses
- overpersuades
- blandishes
- moots
- blarneys
- fast-talks
- disputes
- debates
- chews over
- hashes (over)
- reasons (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- discourages
- deters
- dissuades
- unsells