convene

verb

con·​vene kən-ˈvēn 

convened; convening

intransitive verb

: to come together in a body

We convened at the hotel for a seminar.

transitive verb

1

: to summon before a tribunal

2

: to cause to assemble

A world council was convened in Paris.

convener noun

or convenor

kən-ˈvē-nər 

Synonyms

• assemble
• call
• convoke
• muster
• summon

Choose the Right Synonym for convene

summon, call, cite, convoke, convene, muster mean to demand the presence of.

summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole.

mustered the troops

Examples of convene in a Sentence

We convened at the hotel for a seminar.

This class convenes twice a week.

A panel of investigators was convened by the president to review the case.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rabbi Mintz convened an Orthodox beth din with two younger rabbis, who gave off Brooklyn hipster vibes. —Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

Since the Carter administration, every five years, the Department of HHS and U.S. Department of Agriculture convene the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to review existing evidence on diet and health to inform the next set of recommendations for Americans. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

The group of recreational skaters has been convening since 2008, using social media platforms such as Facebook and Meetup.com to spread the word about the skates, which typically take place every other week from May through October. —Sylvan Lebrun, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024

In theory, the holidays should be a time of joyfully convening around sumptuous homemade meals and giving thanks for life’s great bounty. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin convenire, from Latin, to assemble — more at convenient

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

convene

verb

con·​vene kən-ˈvēn 

convened; convening

1

: to come together in a group : assemble

2

: to cause to convene : call together

convened a meeting