convict

1 of 3

adjective

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
archaic
: having been convicted

convict

2 of 3

verb

con·​vict kən-ˈvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
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

noun

con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
1
: a person convicted of and under sentence for a crime
2
: a person serving a usually long prison sentence

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
He was previously convicted of a 1994 rape in New York. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024 Following a trial that was delayed by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, both Salley and Smith were convicted of murder and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024 Runner also was convicted in 2011 for theft, which resulted in a five-year prison sentence. Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 On Friday morning, after little more than a full day of deliberating, jurors convicted him of a 2020 shooting that killed his ex-girlfriend and wounded a man. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024 His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were both convicted in separate trials of involuntary manslaughter charges in the deaths of the four students killed by their son. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2024 After a three-day trial, a Marion County jury convicted him of murder and attempted murder on Friday. The Indianapolis Star, 22 Mar. 2024 Scott Peterson pleaded not guilty at trial and has maintained his innocence since he was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his wife and second-degree murder for his near-term son. Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Rogers had been convicted of murdering seven women, mostly by tying them up in the woods and butchering them, and admitted to murdering an eighth. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024
Noun
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 The Board of Pardons and Paroles, which has historically not been receptive to petitions from convicts, does not inspire much hope in Cantu. Albinson Linares, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024 Whelan, whose family insists he is being held on false charges, suffered an eye injury in a quarrel with another convict, the Mordovian Federal Penitentiary Service told Russian news agency Interfax. Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2023 Guards End Conference With Attorneys in Jail—Refuses to Testify Without Their Advice D.C. Stephenson, life convict and former grand dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, was brought to Kokomo to testify in grand jury investigation of corrupt bankers operating in Indiana. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Adjective, and Noun

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

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near convict

Cite this Entry

“Convict.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convict. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

convict

1 of 2 verb
con·​vict kən-ˈvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
: to find or prove guilty

convict

2 of 2 noun
con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
: a person serving a prison sentence

Legal Definition

convict

1 of 2 transitive verb
con·​vict kən-ˈvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
: to find guilty of a criminal offense
was convicted of fraud
compare acquit

convict

2 of 2 noun
con·​vict ˈkän-ˌvikt How to pronounce convict (audio)
: 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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