convince

verb

con·​vince kən-ˈvin(t)s 

convinced; convincing

transitive verb

1

: to bring (as by argument) to belief, consent, or a course of action : persuade

… convinced himself that she was all right …

—William Faulkner

something I could never convince him to read

—John Lahr

2

obsolete

a

: to overcome by argument

b

: overpower, overcome

3

obsolete : demonstrate, prove

convincer noun

Synonyms of convince

• persuade
• satisfy
• bring

Examples of convince in a Sentence

He convinced me that the story was true.

They convinced us of their innocence.

I managed to convince myself that I was doing the right thing.

We convinced them to go along with our scheme.

I was unable to convince her to stay.

Recent Examples on the Web

But prosecutors might have a difficult time convincing a jury that the five defendants are guilty of murder, said Linda Parisi, a defense attorney based in Sacramento. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026

Aside from being a practical closet staple, the reviews really convinced me that this dress is a gem. —Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026

The International Kitchen When The International Kitchen was founded in 1994, the original owner had to convince Italian and French chefs to participate in food tours. —Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026

A lot has changed in a week, but investors are yet to be convinced the truce over Iran can hold. —Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin convincere to refute, convict, prove, from com- + vincere to conquer — more at victor

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for convince

• evince
• mince
• prince
• quince
• rinse
• since
• wince

Kids Definition

convince

verb

con·​vince kən-ˈvin(t)s 

convinced; convincing

: to make a person agree or believe by arguing or showing evidence

convinced me it was true

convincer noun