Definition of CONVICTION (original) (raw)
1
: the act or process of finding a person guilty of a crime especially in a court of law
2
a
: a strong persuasion or belief
3
a
: the act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of a truth
b
: the state of being convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for conviction
claims that cannot be confirmed with scientific certainty
, while certitude may emphasize a faith in something not needing or not capable of proof.
believes with certitude in an afterlife
conviction applies especially to belief strongly held by an individual.
holds firm convictions on every issue
each expert seemed to have a different opinion
view suggests a subjective opinion.
very assertive in stating his views
belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent.
a firm belief in her party's platform
conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief.
the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human
persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth.
was of the persuasion that everything changes
sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings.
her feminist sentiments are well-known
Examples of conviction in a Sentence
… a perfect example, I told Bobby, … why Realtors have to be prepared to work holidays. "Well, yeah," he said, utterly without conviction. —
Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003 It was his conviction that if the words in the story were blurred because of the author's insensitivity, carelessness, or sentimentality, then the story suffered from a tremendous handicap. —Raymond Carver, The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987 She spoke in … the voice which people often used to express their deepest convictions … —Paula Fox, A Servant's Tale, 1984 Certainly the basis of our democracy is the conviction of the worth of the individual. —Robert Penn Warren, Democracy and Poetry, (1975) 1976
She hopes to avoid conviction. In light of the evidence, a conviction seems certain. He has three prior drunk-driving convictions. Convictions for shoplifting have made it difficult for her to get a job. a person of deep convictions They share my strong conviction that the policy is misguided.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even without absorbing the northern neighbor into the U.S. or getting his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records overturned, Trump should have little trouble entering Canada. —Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024 Mangum is serving time in prison on a second-degree murder conviction for killing her boyfriend. —Alaa Elassar, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024 Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. —Michael R. Sisak and Jennifer Peltz The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024 The only path forward in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case in New York is vacating his conviction and dismissing the case prior to Trump taking office, lawyers for the president-elect argued in a court filing unsealed Friday. —Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conviction 
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of conviction was in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near conviction
Cite this Entry
“Conviction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conviction. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
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Last Updated: 18 Dec 2024 - Updated example sentences
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