convey

verb

con·​vey kən-ˈvā How to pronounce convey (audio)
conveyed; conveying

transitive verb

1
a
: to bear from one place to another
especially : to move in a continuous stream or mass
b
: to impart or communicate by statement, suggestion, gesture, or appearance
struggling to convey his feelings
c
: to transfer or deliver (something, such as property) to another especially by a sealed writing
d
: to cause to pass from one place or person to another
convey a message
e(1)
archaic : steal
(2)
obsolete : to carry away secretly
2
obsolete : lead, conduct

Examples of convey in a Sentence

To convey sympathy to a bereaved parent by telephone struck him as maladroit … P. D. James, The Private Patient, 2008
… he conveys so much kindliness and benign authority that he is probably forgiven each time he directs a tuna-fish shopper into the thick of the English muffins. Susan Orlean, New Yorker, 22 June 1992
Robyn was well aware that clothes do not merely serve the practical purpose of covering our bodies, but also convey messages about who we are, what we are doing, and how we feel. David Lodge, Nice Work, 1990
… please convey to Mr. & Mrs. Langdon my love &respectful duty. Mark Twain 28 Nov. 1868, in Mark Twain's Letters1990
The singer was conveyed from her hotel to the airport by limousine. They conveyed the goods by ship. The pipes convey water to the fields. The message conveyed a sense of urgency. He conveyed the estate to his son. See More
Recent Examples on the Web The true hero, though, is the proprietary torque-control system that conveys oomph from front to back and side to side—concurrently and in milliseconds—via those three motors plus a touch of brakes. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2023 Shashi Tharoor, [actors] Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Mammootty and [former sportsmen and current sports pundits] Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have already liked the film and conveyed their good luck to the film. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Nov. 2023 Composed by LeRoy and Alexander Hadyn, the score conveys many of today’s fears and societal issues. Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023 Such a dynamic is all but impossible to convey in a museum setting. Holland Cotter, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Xi did not appear with Biden at the news conference after their meeting, but the official interpretation of events is conveyed through state broadcasters and other news outlets. Lyric Li, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023 Further, efforts to avoid discrimination can prevent Black professionals from conveying key attributes that are valued at their firms. Kevin Woodson, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023 Cameron Rodriguez Charlotte, a Princeton professor, needs her new curriculum, Many Worlds, approved but struggles to convey her ideas to the college board. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Nov. 2023 Photos from the conference seemingly conveyed Abiy’s alignment with those leaders and renewed Washington’s long-standing concerns over its weakening ties to Ethiopia. Mahad Darar, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'convey.' 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

Middle English, from Anglo-French conveer to accompany, escort, from Vulgar Latin *conviare, from Latin com- + via way — more at way

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of convey was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near convey

Cite this Entry

“Convey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convey. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

convey

verb
con·​vey kən-ˈvā How to pronounce convey (audio)
conveyed; conveying
1
: to carry from one place to another : transport
2
: to serve as a way of carrying
pipes convey water
3
: to make known : communicate
using words to convey ideas

Legal Definition

convey

transitive verb
con·​vey kən-ˈvā How to pronounce convey (audio)
conveyed; conveying
: to transfer or transmit (property or property rights) to another especially by a writing (as a deed or will)
agreed to convey to the estate his Manhattan town houseR. H. Jensen
compare alienate, devise, donate, give, grant, sell
conveyee
kən-ˌvā-ˈē
noun
conveyor
kən-ˈvā-ər
noun

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