induce

induce — verb

1. to talk someone into doing something, especially by offering reasons or rewards

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to talk someone into doing something, especially by offering reasons or rewards that they find attractive enough to agree.

Example

Nothing could induce Layla to change her mind about moving to Japan.

induce + someone + to-infinitive (negative form with 'nothing')

The promise of a bonus induced the staff to work through the weekend.

induce + someone + to-infinitive (positive incentive)

Common collocations
  • induce someone to do something
  • induce by offering
  • nothing could induce
  • enough to induce
Synonyms
  • persuade

    more neutral and common in everyday speech; induce feels stronger and more deliberate

  • convince

    focuses on changing someone's belief rather than prompting action

  • coax

    gentler and more patient; often implies repeated gentle attempts

Antonyms
  • discourage

    to try to stop someone from doing something

  • dissuade

    more formal than discourage; to persuade someone not to act

Grammar Patterns

induce + [someone] + to + [verb]

Usage Note

This sense follows a strict pattern: induce + person + to-infinitive. It is moderately formal — in everyday conversation, 'talk into' or 'persuade' sound more natural.

Common Mistakes

She induced him going to the party.
She induced him to go to the party.
induce always takes the to-infinitive, not a gerund.

2. to make a particular event, condition, or effect happen, typically as a result o

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make a particular event, condition, or effect happen, typically as a result of some action or influence.

Example

The drug can induce a feeling of deep calm within a few minutes.

induce + [abstract state]

Stress at work often induces headaches and poor sleep in young professionals.

Common collocations
  • induce a reaction
  • induce changes
  • induce sleep
  • induce vomiting
  • induce a state of
Synonyms
  • cause

    simpler and more direct; less specific about the mechanism

  • trigger

    suggests a sudden or immediate effect

  • provoke

    usually carries a negative connotation of irritation or anger

  • generate

    neutral; often used for abstract results like interest or support

Antonyms
  • prevent

    to stop something from happening

  • suppress

    to keep something from developing or being expressed

Grammar Patterns

induce + [event/condition/response]

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1, this sense does not require a to-infinitive — the object is a result or state. Frequently used in medical, chemical, and psychological contexts.

Common Mistakes

The medicine induced me to sleep.' (sounds like persuasion)
The medicine induced sleep.
when you mean 'caused sleep,' the effect is the object, not a person.

3. to give a pregnant woman medication so that her labour begins, or to start the p

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to give a pregnant woman medication so that her labour begins, or to start the process of childbirth by medical means.

Example

The hospital team decided to induce labour when the baby was two weeks overdue.

induce labour (collocation)

Nikos's wife was induced at thirty-eight weeks because of a health concern.

passive: be induced (of a pregnant woman)

Common collocations
  • induce labour
  • be induced
  • induce contractions
  • induce delivery
  • induce the mother
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

induce labour | induce + [a pregnant woman]

Usage Note

The passive form is very common: 'she was induced.' The object can be either 'labour' (induce labour) or the woman herself (induce the mother). Exact protocols vary by country.

4. to create an electric current or voltage in a conductor without direct contact,

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to create an electric current or voltage in a conductor without direct contact, for instance by moving a magnetic field nearby.

Example

A moving magnet can induce an electric current in a nearby coil of wire.

induce + current + in + [conductor]

The changing magnetic field induces a voltage across the terminals of the transformer.

Common collocations
  • induce a current
  • induce a voltage
  • induction coil
  • magnetically induced
Synonyms
  • generate

    broader; can describe many ways of producing electricity

  • produce

    more general; less specific about the mechanism

Grammar Patterns

induce + [current / voltage] + in + [conductor]

Usage Note

Almost always used in scientific or technical writing. The passive is typical: 'a current is induced.' Learners of general English may safely recognise this meaning without active production.

5. to arrive at a general rule or principle by examining specific cases or examples

5.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to arrive at a general rule or principle by examining specific cases or examples, especially in logic or mathematics.

Example

From several precise observations, scientists induce a general principle that fits all cases.

induce + [principle] + from + [observations]

Philosophers distinguish between deducing a conclusion and inducing one from examples.

Common collocations
  • induce a rule
  • induce a principle
  • induce from examples
  • induce from observations
Synonyms
  • infer

    broader and more commonly used in everyday English; to reach a conclusion from evidence

  • generalise

    focuses on the process of extending specific findings to wider situations

Antonyms
  • deduce

    to reason from a general rule to a specific case; the opposite logical direction

Grammar Patterns

induce + [rule / principle] + from + [examples]

Usage Note

The contrast with 'deduce' is essential: deduce moves from general to specific, while induce moves from specific to general. This sense is almost entirely confined to academic philosophy and mathematics.

Common Mistakes

He induced that all swans are white after seeing a few white ones.
He deduced that all swans are white...
actually, reasoning from specific examples to a general rule IS induction; but in everyday English, people more commonly use 'infer' or 'conclude.' The mistake here is using 'induce' in a non-technical context where readers expect 'infer.'

Word family

  • induced
    adjectiveB2
  • inducement
    nounC1
  • induction
    nounC1
  • inductive
    adjectiveC2
  • inducer
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four words describe making something happen, but they differ in directness and connotation. 'Cause' is the broadest and most neutral — you can say 'the rain caused flooding' without implying any mechanism. 'Induce' suggests a gentler or more indirect influence, often through an intermediate process: 'the drug induces sleep' (it sets off a chain of biological events). 'Trigger' implies a sudden, immediate effect, as though pulling a switch: 'the loud noise triggered a panic attack.' 'Provoke' carries the strongest negative charge and usually refers to emotional reactions: 'his comment provoked anger.' In writing, choose 'cause' for plain facts, 'induce' for gradual or systematic effects, 'trigger' for sudden reactions, and 'provoke' when the result involves irritation or conflict.

induce ↗cause ↗trigger ↗provoke ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • induce by means of
  • induce in response to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Induce comes from Latin 'inducere', meaning 'to lead into' — from 'in-' (into) and 'ducere' (to lead). The idea of 'leading someone into' a course of action (sense 1) is closest to the original meaning. The scientific senses (electricity, medicine, logic) developed later as the word's core idea of 'bringing about' was applied to specialised fields.