convince

Traditionally, to convince somebody is to make him or her certain of something, and to persuade somebody is to induce him or her to act: She convinced him that he had talent and persuaded him to study music. Because of this distinction, some people still object to the use of an infinitive after convince, pointing out that She convinced him to... involves inducing someone to act. Nonetheless, the distinction is quickly disappearing by force of widespread usage, and constructions like this one are increasingly seen in the work of reputable writers: After a long series of tests I was convinced to go ahead with the surgery despite the risks.