convict

1 of 3

noun

con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt 

1

: a person convicted of and under sentence for a crime

2

: a person serving a usually long prison sentence

convict

2 of 3

verb

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt 

convicted; convicting; convicts

transitive verb

1

: to find or prove to be guilty

The jury convicted them of fraud.

2

: to convince of error or sinfulness

intransitive verb

: to find a defendant guilty

Remarkably, two of the jurors boldly dug in their heels and pressed to convict.

—John Grisham

convict

3 of 3

adjective

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt 

archaic

: having been convicted

Synonyms

Noun

• prisoner
• con
• inmate

Verb

• condemn
• sentence
• indict
• denounce
• punish
• accuse

Examples of convict in a Sentence

Noun

a warning that the three escaped convicts were armed and dangerous

Verb

There is sufficient evidence to convict.

He was convicted in federal court.

The jury convicted them on three counts of fraud.

Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas released all living hostages in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian convicts and wartime detainees, while Israel pulled back its troops and halted its offensive. —Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025

Directed by Love at First Sight’s Vanessa Caswill and written by Verity’s screenwriter Lauren Levine alongside Hoover, Reminders of Him follows an ex-convict who hopes to reconnect with her daughter in her small town, following the death of her husband. —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2025

Verb

While there was much speculation over who killed Mineo, pizza deliveryman Lionel Ray Williams was convicted and received 51 years in prison for murdering Mineo and committing 10 robberies, per the Los Angeles Sentinel. —Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

Combs had been sentenced to 50 months (roughly more than four years) by a judge after a two-month trial ended with him being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. —Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French convicter, from Latin convictus, past participle of convincere to refute, convict

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing convict

• escaped convict

Kids Definition

convict

1 of 2 verb

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt 

: to find or prove guilty

convict

2 of 2 noun

con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt 

: a person serving a prison sentence

Legal Definition

convict

1 of 2 transitive verb

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt 

: to find guilty of a criminal offense

was convicted of fraud

compare acquit

convict

2 of 2 noun

con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt 

: a person convicted of and serving a sentence for a crime

Etymology

Transitive verb

Latin convictus past participle of convincere to find guilty, prove, from com- with, together + vincer to conquer