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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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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, the independent charity Crimestoppers is offering a £50,000 reward for any information leading to a conviction of the drone operators. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "We Still Know So Alarmingly Little About How a Drone Shut Down an Airport for Two Days," 3 Jan. 2019 Bailey was serving a life sentence on a conviction of shooting with intent to kill. — Adam Kealoha Causey, Fox News, "Oklahoma man convicted in hate-crime killing dies in prison," 13 Sep. 2018 On Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the conviction of a coal company executive and a lawyer on charges related to bribing an Alabama state lawmaker. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Coal company executive and lawyer convicted of bribing Alabama lawmaker [Updated]," 24 July 2018 Currently, more than 36,000 Cubans in the United States are facing orders of removal for convictions of crimes or immigration violations.. Most of those are living freely on parole. — David Ovalle, miamiherald, "Raped as a child in Miami, he's facing deportation after testing positive for weed," 19 June 2018 But Godley said Saturday that the process of pitching can’t be more important than the conviction of pitching. — Scott Bordow, azcentral, "For Diamondbacks' Zack Godley, pitching is more about confidence than mechanics," 16 June 2018 Some examples: In Florida, organizers succeeded in passing the largest expansion of voting rights in a decade, restoring the right to vote to 1.5 million people with felony convictions. — Bree Newsome, SELF, "The 2018 Midterm Elections Proved That Change Must Happen from the Ground Up," 15 Nov. 2018 Hugh Jackman stars as Hart, acting with conviction and American macho ruggedness. — Kate Klausner, Vogue, "Hugh Jackman Trades Wolverine for Politics at Last Night’s Premiere of The Front Runner," 31 Oct. 2018 Other than those under 18, one of the most commonly referred to groups in this situation is comprised of people with felony convictions. — Jewel Wicker, Teen Vogue, "Voter Suppression in the 2018 Midterms," 29 Oct. 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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Last Updated

7 Feb 2019

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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.