convicted; convicting; convicts
1
: to find or prove to be guilty
The jury convicted them of fraud.
2
: to convince of error or sinfulness
: to find a defendant guilty
Remarkably, two of the jurors boldly dug in their heels and pressed to convict.—
John Grisham
John Grisham
con·vict
ˈkän-ˌvikt 
1
: a person convicted of and under sentence for a crime
2
: a person serving a usually long prison sentence
Synonyms
Examples of convict in a Sentence
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?
Noun
a warning that the three escaped convicts were armed and dangerous
Recent Examples on the WebEmily Wichick Hourihane, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Placer County prosecutors have filed murder charges in three fentanyl deaths, and Dare is the second defendant in the county to be convicted of murder in a fentanyl death.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
Among them is that the state recommended a sentencing range of 43 to 86 months — or a maximum of about seven years — for both parents, who are scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday after separate juries convicted them on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
—Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
Among them is that Michigan recommended a sentencing range of 43 to 86 months — or a maximum of about seven years — for both parents, who are scheduled to be sentenced on April 9 after separate juries convicted them on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
—Tresa Baldas, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
While others in Trump's orbit at the time have spoken out against him in recent years, Conway has remained mostly loyal to the former president's cause and may not be too keen on supporting efforts to convict him.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
Volunteers can’t join the State Guard if they have been convicted of a felony, but some recruits have joined despite having arrests and other interactions with police on their record.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
What was Cindy White's sentence when she was convicted?
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024
He was previously convicted of a 1994 rape in New York.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024
Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
Russia has swelled the ranks of its army by deploying squads of former convicts.
—Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
However, the right of a convict to vote depends on the laws of the state or territory where they were convicted.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
And no consequences for beating convicts nearly to death?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
Tens of thousands of Russians have been killed or wounded, according to Western and Ukrainian officials, but Russia has steadily replenished their ranks, including using convicts to join the fighting.
—Josh Holder, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
In the 1930s, Bennett created the Ford Service Department, an armed squad of ex-cops, paroled convicts, gangsters and former athletes, to spy on employees and disrupt union organizers.
—Jack Kresnak, Detroit Free Press, 28 Jan. 2024
Recruiting convicts may have already passed the point of diminishing returns.
—Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2024
Two of the former convicts said some of the solitary confinement cells had radiators painted on the walls instead of heating.
—Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
On March 1, 2024, a packed courtroom watched as Michelle Troconis collapsed in tears after a jury convicted her of conspiring with her boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, to murder his estranged wife.
—Emily Wichick Hourihane, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Placer County prosecutors have filed murder charges in three fentanyl deaths, and Dare is the second defendant in the county to be convicted of murder in a fentanyl death.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
Among them is that the state recommended a sentencing range of 43 to 86 months — or a maximum of about seven years — for both parents, who are scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday after separate juries convicted them on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
—Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
Among them is that Michigan recommended a sentencing range of 43 to 86 months — or a maximum of about seven years — for both parents, who are scheduled to be sentenced on April 9 after separate juries convicted them on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
—Tresa Baldas, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
While others in Trump's orbit at the time have spoken out against him in recent years, Conway has remained mostly loyal to the former president's cause and may not be too keen on supporting efforts to convict him.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
Volunteers can’t join the State Guard if they have been convicted of a felony, but some recruits have joined despite having arrests and other interactions with police on their record.
—Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
What was Cindy White's sentence when she was convicted?
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024
He was previously convicted of a 1994 rape in New York.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024
Noun
Smith is to be the first convict executed by the state in 2024 and Oklahoma's 12th execution since capital punishment resumed in 2021.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
Russia has swelled the ranks of its army by deploying squads of former convicts.
—Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
However, the right of a convict to vote depends on the laws of the state or territory where they were convicted.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024
And no consequences for beating convicts nearly to death?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024
Tens of thousands of Russians have been killed or wounded, according to Western and Ukrainian officials, but Russia has steadily replenished their ranks, including using convicts to join the fighting.
—Josh Holder, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024
In the 1930s, Bennett created the Ford Service Department, an armed squad of ex-cops, paroled convicts, gangsters and former athletes, to spy on employees and disrupt union organizers.
—Jack Kresnak, Detroit Free Press, 28 Jan. 2024
Recruiting convicts may have already passed the point of diminishing returns.
—Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2024
Two of the former convicts said some of the solitary confinement cells had radiators painted on the walls instead of heating.
—Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'convict.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near convict
Cite this Entry
“Convict.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convict. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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