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conviction

noun
con·vic·tion | \kən-ˈvik-shən \

Definition of conviction 

1 : the act or process of finding a person guilty of a crime especially in a court of law

2a : a strong persuasion or belief

b : the state of being convinced

3a : the act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of a truth

b : the state of being convinced of error or compelled to admit the truth

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about conviction

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Synonyms & Antonyms for conviction

Synonyms

assurance, assuredness, certainty, certitude, cocksureness, confidence, doubtlessness, face, positiveness, satisfaction, sureness, surety

Antonyms

doubt, incertitude, nonconfidence, uncertainty

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Choose the Right Synonym for conviction

certainty, certitude, conviction mean a state of being free from doubt. certainty and certitude are very close; certainty may stress the existence of objective proof claims that cannot be confirmed with scientific certainty , while certitude may emphasize a faith in something not needing or not capable of proof. believes with certitude in an afterlife conviction applies especially to belief strongly held by an individual. holds firm convictions on every issue

opinion, view, belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment mean a judgment one holds as true. opinion implies a conclusion thought out yet open to dispute. each expert seemed to have a different opinion view suggests a subjective opinion. very assertive in stating his views belief implies often deliberate acceptance and intellectual assent. a firm belief in her party's platform conviction applies to a firmly and seriously held belief. the conviction that animal life is as sacred as human persuasion suggests a belief grounded on assurance (as by evidence) of its truth. was of the persuasion that everything changes sentiment suggests a settled opinion reflective of one's feelings. her feminist sentiments are well-known

Examples of conviction in a Sentence

… a perfect example, I told Bobby,  … why Realtors have to be prepared to work holidays. "Well, yeah," he said, utterly without conviction. — Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003 It was his conviction that if the words in the story were blurred because of the author's insensitivity, carelessness, or sentimentality, then the story suffered from a tremendous handicap. — Raymond Carver, The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters, 1987 She spoke in … the voice which people often used to express their deepest convictions … — Paula Fox, A Servant's Tale, 1984 Certainly the basis of our democracy is the conviction of the worth of the individual. — Robert Penn Warren, Democracy and Poetry, (1975) 1976 She hopes to avoid conviction. In light of the evidence, a conviction seems certain. He has three prior drunk-driving convictions. Convictions for shoplifting have made it difficult for her to get a job. a person of deep convictions They share my strong conviction that the policy is misguided.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Drivers could still have their licenses suspended for dangerous driving or criminal convictions. — Reis Thebault, Washington Post, "In D.C., no more license suspensions for drivers with unpaid tickets," 12 July 2018 Trump seems to be growing more confident in his willingness to grant pardons for high-profile criminal convictions. — Matt Pearce, latimes.com, "With two pardons, Trump wins goodwill in the ranching world," 11 July 2018 Uresti wants taxpayers to foot the bill for his appeal. Felon and former state Sen. Carlos Uresti wants taxpayers to foot the bill for the appeal of his criminal conviction. — Patrick Danner, San Antonio Express-News, "Uresti wants taxpayers to pay for his appeal," 11 July 2018 That entails apprehending, detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants that the White House said has resulted in more than 127,000 arrests alone last year for people with criminal convictions. — Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Abolish ICE movement pits practicality against passion for local Democrats," 10 July 2018 Lawyers explain how to get criminal convictions expunged from records, accountants talk personal finance and professional athletes discuss teamwork. — New York Times, "A Restaurant Takes On the Opioid Crisis, One Worker at a Time," 10 July 2018 But then last fall, while Lorenzo was returning to the United States after again visiting relatives in Nicaragua, customs officers at Miami International Airport flagged her, citing her two-decade old criminal conviction. — David Ovalle, miamiherald, "Feds decided to deport her — two decades after her Miami marijuana arrest," 5 July 2018 But, after the criminal convictions, the judge balked at further requests. — Christy Gutowski, chicagotribune.com, "Daughter imprisoned in Bali slaying settles mother's estate," 20 June 2018 McDowell, who couldn't legally own a gun because of the burglary conviction, was arrested after the purchase. — Fox News, "Man who said he planned church attack gets nearly 3 years," 13 July 2018

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

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First Known Use of conviction

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for conviction

see convict entry 2

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Dictionary Entries near conviction

conveyorize

convict

convict goods

conviction

convictional

convictism

convictive

Phrases Related to conviction

the courage of one's convictions

Statistics for conviction

Last Updated

3 Oct 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for conviction

The first known use of conviction was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for conviction

conviction

noun

English Language Learners Definition of conviction

law : the act of proving that a person is guilty of a crime in a court of law

: a strong belief or opinion

: the feeling of being sure that what you believe or say is true

See the full definition for conviction in the English Language Learners Dictionary

conviction

noun
con·vic·tion | \kən-ˈvik-shən \

Kids Definition of conviction

1 : a strong belief or opinion political convictions

2 : the state of mind of a person who is sure that what he or she believes or says is true She spoke with conviction.

3 : the act of proving or finding guilty : the state of being proven guilty He appealed his conviction.

conviction

noun
con·vic·tion

Legal Definition of conviction 

1 : the act or process of convicting also : the final judgment entered after a finding of guilt a prior conviction of murder would not overturn the conviction — compare acquittal

Note: Jurisdictions differ as to what constitutes conviction for various statutes (as habitual offender statutes). Conviction is rarely applied to civil cases.

2 : guilt the judge will enter a judgment of conviction— W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for conviction

Spanish Central: Translation of conviction

Nglish: Translation of conviction for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of conviction for Arabic Speakers

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