conviction

noun

con·​vic·​tion kən-ˈvik-shən How to pronounce conviction (audio)
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
b
: the state of being convinced
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
Choose the Right Synonym for conviction

certainty, certitude, conviction mean a state of being free from doubt.

certainty and certitude are very close; certainty may stress the existence of objective proof

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

opinion, view, belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment mean a judgment one holds as true.

opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute.

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 But the effect a conviction could have on their vote seemed small. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 By the end of February, only about 100 convictions had been overturned. Pan Pylas, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 And Kassan once had his wrist slapped in 1995 when he was suspended from practicing law in California following a conviction for grand theft by embezzlement. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 If approved by the Governor's Council, the pardons would apply to all prior adult misdemeanor convictions for marijuana possession. Neal Riley, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 Since the report, the problems and crimes inside the prison have drawn widespread attention, resulting in criminal charges and convictions. Tim Arango, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Her testimony, elicited by Stanton, is crucial not so much to Mudd’s conviction as to the series’ interest in both racial justice and a happy ending. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The recent high-profile trial that led to the conviction of the defendant’s spouse. Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 Ormsby also said he was not supposed to carry a firearm due to a felony conviction, charging documents mention. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conviction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see convict entry 2

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 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conviction

noun
con·​vic·​tion kən-ˈvik-shən How to pronounce conviction (audio)
1
: the act of convicting : the state of being convicted
2
a
: a strong belief or opinion
has deep convictions
b
: the state of mind of a person who is sure that what he or she believes or says is true
spoke with conviction

Legal Definition

conviction

noun
con·​vic·​tion
1
: the act or process of convicting
also : the final judgment entered after a finding of guilt
a prior conviction of murder
would not overturn the conviction
compare acquittal

Note: Jurisdictions differ as to what constitutes conviction for various statutes (as habitual offender statutes). Conviction is rarely applied to civil cases.

2
: guilt
the judge will enter a judgment of convictionW. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel

More from Merriam-Webster on conviction

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