convict

adjective

con·vict | \ kən-ˈvikt

Definition of convict

(Entry 1 of 3)

archaic

: having been convicted

convict

verb

con·vict | \ kən-ˈvikt

convicted; convicting; convicts

Definition of convict (Entry 2 of 3)

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

noun

con·vict | \ ˈkän-ˌvikt

Definition of convict (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a person convicted of and under sentence for a crime

2 : a person serving a usually long prison sentence

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about convict

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Synonyms & Antonyms for convict

Synonyms: Verb

condemn

Synonyms: Noun

con, jailbird

Antonyms: Verb

absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate

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 Web: Verb

She was convicted of murder and sentenced to 13 years to life in prison. — Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, "With a letter of support from Kim Kardashian-West, D.C. man convicted of murder as a teen gets a second chance," 13 Sep. 2019 The ferry’s pilot and his supervisor were convicted and sentenced to prison. — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, "Charges in California boat fire may hinge on 1838 law. Here's why," 11 Sep. 2019 The Court of Special Appeals ruled last week that Morten — who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison — was wrongly denied the opportunity to challenge evidence in court. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Appeals court vacates conviction in Baltimore ‘Chasing a Killer’ case, citing ‘lackluster’ evidence and hearsay testimony," 9 Sep. 2019 Clark was convicted and sentenced to 49-and-a-half years. — CBS News, "How faulty eyewitness testimony can lead to wrongful convictions," 9 Sep. 2019 Odgren, after several years of lengthy pre-trial court battles was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life without parole. — Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, "SJC upholds murder conviction of John Odgren who killed high school classmate in bathroom," 4 Sep. 2019 One man, Paul Tobeler, was convicted and sentenced to several years in prison in 1996. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, "A trove of art stolen in the ’90s has turned up. LAPD is looking for the original owners," 4 Sep. 2019 Bennett, 56, was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud this past October and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on July 31. — Fox News, "Maryland man sentenced to 30 months in prison for role in $20M Ponzi scheme," 1 Sep. 2019 Reynolds was convicted of murder in 1995 and sentenced to death for the murder of Waterbury police officer Walter Williams. — Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, "State wants more time to respond to court that called prison conditions “cruel and unusual”," 31 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In 2013, the Tribune reported the court system’s Adult Probation Department had lost track of hundreds of convicts, and overlooked curfew violations and new crimes by offenders, some of whom went on to commit other crimes. — Juan Perez Jr., chicagotribune.com, "A secret vote will choose Cook County’s next judicial chief. A $270 million budget, thousands of employees, and the future of a huge court system are at stake.," 11 Sep. 2019 Beth Hoeckel Facing one of the most severe labor shortages in decades, restaurants across the country are trying virtually everything to recruit cooks and dishwashers, from offering quarterly bonuses to providing training programs for ex-convicts. — David Yaffe-bellany, New York Times, "Hiring Is Very Hard for Restaurants These Days. Now They May Have to Fire.," 23 Aug. 2019 The law gives judges more discretion in sentencing non-violent drug offenders, and eases some of the long mandatory-minimum sentences for convicts with only minor criminal records. — Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY, "Federal government releases more than 2,200 people from prison as First Step Act kicks in," 19 July 2019 The mutual attraction between a federal marshal and an escaped convict interferes with their goals. — Los Angeles Times, "Movies on TV this week Sept. 1 - 7, 2019: John Wayne in ‘The Searchers’ and more," 30 Aug. 2019 In archival drawers were convict leg irons from the early 1800s, jars of antique marsupial specimens, copperplate etchings of native plants made by naturalists on Capt. — David Maurice Smith, Smithsonian, "A 42,000-Year-Old Man Finally Goes Home," 23 Aug. 2019 An escaped convict suspected of killing a Tennessee corrections employee was brought into custody Sunday after a four day manhunt. — Doha Madani, NBC News, "Escaped Tennessee inmate found after four-day manhunt," 11 Aug. 2019 His students include convicts with sentences for murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. — CBS News, "The Ohio restaurant that gives convicts a second chance," 10 Aug. 2019 In 2017, justices held that social media is the contemporary public square and that barring convicts from access to platforms like Facebook and Twitter is a First Amendment violation. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "Domino’s Pizza delivers a game-changing case to the US Supreme Court," 6 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'convict.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.