Induce vs. Conduce — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 10, 2024
"Induce" means to cause or bring about a specific effect or action, while "conduce" means to contribute to or promote a particular result. Both relate to influencing outcomes, but "induce" often implies direct causation.
Difference Between Induce and Conduce
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
"Induce" involves actively causing or bringing about something. For example, one might induce someone to buy a product through persuasive marketing, while "conduce" refers to actions that promote or contribute to an outcome without directly causing it. An environment of positivity may conduce to greater productivity.
"Induce" is commonly used in medical, psychological, or technical contexts. Medications might induce sleep or labor in pregnancy. In contrast, "conduce" appears in more formal or literary contexts, as in a peaceful environment that conduces to creativity.
In arguments and reasoning, "induce" can be used when talking about leading someone to a conclusion or making them believe something. Meanwhile, "conduce" focuses more on aiding conditions that support reaching such conclusions, often indirectly.
"Induce" has a broader modern usage, commonly appearing in everyday conversations and formal writing. "Conduce," on the other hand, is less frequently encountered in modern English but remains relevant in contexts where subtle influence is key.
Comparison Chart
Definition
To cause or bring about directly
To promote or contribute indirectly
ADVERTISEMENT
Context
Common, everyday usage
Formal, literary usage
Causality
Direct causation
Indirect influence
Popular Usage
Widely used in general and technical contexts
Less common in contemporary use
Example
"The ad campaign induced buyers."
"Clear goals conduce to success."
Compare with Definitions
Induce
To bring about an outcome.
The speech induced strong feelings in the audience.
Conduce
To contribute to an outcome.
Honest communication conduces to trust.
Induce
To persuade someone to do something.
She was induced to take the job by a high salary.
Conduce
To aid or promote a favorable condition.
A supportive atmosphere conduces to learning.
Induce
To lead someone to a specific action.
His friends induced him to try out for the team.
Conduce
To indirectly influence a positive state.
This strategy conduces to sustainable growth.
Induce
To trigger or cause a state or condition.
The medicine induced drowsiness.
Conduce
To result in a desirable effect.
Her disciplined lifestyle conduces to her good health.
Induce
In logic, to derive general principles.
They induced their theory from the available data.
Conduce
To facilitate the creation of something beneficial.
Teamwork conduces to efficient project completion.
Induce
Succeed in persuading or leading (someone) to do something
The pickets induced many workers to stay away
Conduce
To contribute or lead to a specific result
"The quiet conduces to thinking about the darkening future" (George F. Will).
Induce
Bring about or give rise to
None of these measures induced a change of policy
Conduce
To contribute or lead to a specific result.
Induce
Bring on (the birth of a baby) artificially, typically by the use of drugs
Induced labour
Conduce
To lead or tend, esp. with reference to a favorable or desirable result; to contribute; - usually followed by to or toward.
He was sensible how much such a union would conduce to the happiness of both.
The reasons you allege do more conduceTo the hot passion of distemper'd blood.
Induce
Derive by inductive reasoning
From the experimental evidence, one infers or induces the hypothesis
Conduce
To conduct; to lead; to guide.
He was sent to conduce hither the princess.
Induce
To lead or move, as to a course of action, by influence or persuasion.
Conduce
Be conducive to;
The use of computers in the classroom lead to better writing
Induce
To bring about or stimulate the occurrence of; cause
A drug used to induce labor.
Induce
To infer by inductive reasoning.
Induce
To produce (an electric current or a magnetic charge) by induction.
Induce
To produce (radioactivity, for example) artificially by bombardment of a substance with neutrons, gamma rays, and other particles.
Induce
(Biochemistry) To initiate or increase the production of (an enzyme or other protein) at the level of genetic transcription.
Induce
(Genetics) To cause an increase in the transcription of the RNA of (a gene).
Induce
(transitive) To lead by persuasion or influence; incite or prevail upon.
Induce
(transitive) To cause, bring about, lead to.
His meditation induced a compromise.
Opium induces sleep.
Induce
(physics) To cause or produce (electric current or a magnetic state) by a physical process of induction.
Induce
To infer by induction.
Induce
To lead in, bring in, introduce.
Induce
To draw on, place upon. en
Induce
To lead in; to introduce.
The poet may be seen inducing his personages in the first Iliad.
Induce
To draw on; to overspread.
Induce
To lead on; to influence; to prevail on; to incite; to persuade; to move by persuasion or influence.
He is not obliged by your offer to do it, . . . though he may be induced, persuaded, prevailed upon, tempted.
Let not the covetous desire of growing rich induce you to ruin your reputation.
Induce
To bring on; to effect; to cause; as, a fever induced by fatigue or exposure; anaphylactic shock induced by exposure to a allergen.
Sour things induces a contraction in the nerves.
Induce
To produce, or cause, by proximity without contact or transmission, as a particular electric or magnetic condition in a body, by the approach of another body in an opposite electric or magnetic state.
Induce
To generalize or conclude as an inference from all the particulars; - the opposite of deduce.
Induce
To cause the expression of (a gene or gene product) by affecting a transcription control element on the genome, either by inhibiting a negative control or by activating a positive control; to derepress; as, lactose induces the production of beta-galactosidase in Eschericia coli..
Induce
Cause to arise;
Induce a crisis
Induce
Cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner;
The ads induced me to buy a VCR
My children finally got me to buy a computer
My wife made me buy a new sofa
Induce
Cause to occur rapidly;
The infection precipitated a high fever and allergic reactions
Induce
Reason or establish by induction
Induce
Produce electric current by electrostatic or magnetic processes
Common Curiosities
Is "induce" appropriate in technical contexts?
Yes, "induce" is often used in technical contexts, such as inducing labor in medicine.
Is "conduce" an archaic term?
While less commonly used today, "conduce" is still understood in formal writing and is not entirely archaic.
Can "induce" mean to persuade someone?
Yes, "induce" can refer to persuading someone to take action.
Can "conduce" be used interchangeably with "contribute"?
Not always; "contribute" is more commonly used, whereas "conduce" implies promoting an outcome.
Can "induce" be used in the context of logical reasoning?
Yes, "induce" can mean to derive a general principle from specific instances, as in inductive reasoning.
Is there a difference between "induce" and "persuade"?
Yes, "induce" usually implies leading someone to take a specific action, whereas "persuade" suggests influencing someone's beliefs or attitudes.
Is "induce" used more frequently than "conduce"?
Yes, "induce" is more common in everyday English, while "conduce" is more formal and less frequently used.
Is "induce" primarily about voluntary actions?
Not necessarily. "Induce" may refer to both voluntary and involuntary actions, such as inducing labor.
Does "conduce" imply direct causation?
No, "conduce" refers to indirectly contributing to a particular outcome.
Can "conduce" be used in negative contexts?
It's less common, but possible if describing conditions leading to unfavorable outcomes, like "Stress conduces to burnout."
Does "conduce" always have a positive connotation?
Typically, yes. "Conduce" usually relates to outcomes perceived as favorable or desirable.
Are there specific fields where "induce" is particularly prevalent?
Yes, "induce" is often used in medicine, psychology, marketing, and logic.
Can "conduce" be used synonymously with "lead to"?
Yes, but "conduce" specifically implies a contributory or supportive role rather than direct causation.
Does "conduce" need to be intentional?
No, "conduce" doesn't always imply deliberate intent; it can describe any contributing factor leading to a result.
Is "induce" more suitable for immediate effects?
Generally, "induce" implies a more immediate or direct impact, while "conduce" suggests a slower, cumulative influence.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Impractical vs. Realistic
Next Comparison
Jam vs. PureeAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
