What's the difference between 'convince' and 'persuade'?

The traditional distinction:

• "She convinced me that I was wrong." (changed my mind)
• "I'm convinced this is the right approach." (belief)

• "She persuaded me to apply for the job." (took action)
• "He persuaded us to stay." (changed our behaviour)

The rule some follow: You convince someone of something (belief), but you persuade someone to do something (action). "He convinced me to go" — technically should be "persuaded me to go."

The honest truth: In modern English, "convince" is used for both, and this is so widespread that insisting on the distinction sounds pedantic. Most native speakers use them interchangeably in conversation.

In formal writing: Distinguishing them shows precision. "The evidence convinced them that the plan would work; the results persuaded them to continue."

Register: The distinction matters most in formal academic and legal writing.

Tags: vocabulary, confusing words, convince vs persuade, formal English