convince someone to stay

Meaning

This phrase means to persuade or talk someone into remaining in a place, keeping a job, or staying in a relationship instead of leaving. It is used in both personal contexts (asking a friend to stay longer at a party) and professional settings (retaining a valuable employee). The tone is persuasive, caring, or sometimes pleading.

Examples

• When she tried to resign, the manager offered a raise to convince her to stay.

  When she tried to resign, the manager offered a raise to convince her to stay.

• The party was so fun that we managed to convince him to stay for another hour.

  The party was so fun that we managed to convince him to stay for another hour.

• It is hard to convince someone to stay when they have already checked out mentally.

  It is hard to convince someone to stay when they have already checked out mentally.

• I didn't want him to drive home in the storm, so I tried to convince him to stay.

  I didn't want him to drive home in the storm, so I tried to convince him to stay.

• No matter how much they pleaded, they couldn't convince the star player to stay with the team.

  No matter how much they pleaded, they couldn't convince the star player to stay with the team.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I tried to convince him staying.

  ✓ I tried to convince him to stay.

  The verb 'convince' must be followed by an object and an infinitive verb ('convince someone to do something'), not a gerund.

• ✗ She persuaded me for staying.

  ✓ She convinced me to stay.

  Both 'convince' and 'persuade' take the 'to + infinitive' pattern, not 'for + gerund'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• He was ready to leave the company, but the CEO managed to ___ with a better offer.

  💡 Persuade him not to resign.

  Show answer

  convince him to stay

• It was raining heavily, so we tried to ___ for dinner.

  💡 Persuade her not to leave.

  Show answer

  convince her to stay