convention

noun

kən-ˈven(t)-shən How to pronounce convention (audio)
Definition of conventionnext
1
as in meeting
a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose attended a convention of mathematicians in California

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in treaty
a formal agreement between two or more nations or peoples an international convention banning the spread of nuclear weapons

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken the Geneva Convention details proper treatment of prisoners of war

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in tradition
an inherited or established way of thinking, feeling, or doing the bride decided to follow convention and to have her father give her away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of convention The video in the ad appears to be the same as one played during the Republican midterm convention last month. — Mariam Khan, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2026 As a determined floor correspondent at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, he was knocked down on camera by security guards while trying to interview a Georgia delegate whom the guards were removing from the convention floor. — Walter Podrazik, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 In the days before the railroad and automobile, let alone the World Wide Web, fiddlers’ conventions brought the people of Appalachia together, allowing songs and picking styles to spread like gossip over those hills. — David Alm, Longreads, 1 Oct. 2026 According to an audio recording reported by the New York Times, Paxton was heard telling donors and lobbyists that the convention hurt his poll numbers. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for convention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convention
  1. meeting
  2. treaty
  3. agreement
  4. tradition
  5. gathering
  6. pact
  7. rule
  8. values
Noun
  • Osborn has been traveling across Nebraska to hold meetings in all 93 counties and has repeatedly criticized Ricketts for not holding town halls to meet with constituents.
    — NICHOLAS INGRAM, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The meeting came as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran have yet to yield meaningful progress.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • Would an invasion of Canada trigger Article 5 of the collective defense treaty requiring all members to come to Canada’s rescue?
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • International treaties and agreements govern the use and proliferation of the inputs used to create biological, chemical and nuclear weapons.
    — Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of treaty
Noun
  • Starz did indeed go dark for Verizon Fios subscribers on Wednesday night, as both sides failed to come to a carriage agreement.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The project, which would revamp how visitors enter the White House grounds, is one Trump construction effort that has drawn wide agreement.
    — Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of agreement
Noun
  • The rich collections do a great job of honoring visual traditions and explaining their connections to real people and real places.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • But the company is trying to balance those new strategies with its existing traditions.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of tradition
Noun
  • The rooms are designed for gathering, whether that's at the music venue, on the rooftop bar, or in one of the other distinct dining experiences.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The mall was once the city’s economic center and central gathering place, and when Citrus Heights incorporated in the 1990s, the inclusion of the mall and its tax dollars were considered critical to the city’s financial viability.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of gathering
Noun
  • Tony Romo carved out new terrain at CBS Sports after revealing a knack for predicting game play — all but forcing CBS to re-sign the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback to a multi-season pact in 2020 valued at around $17 million a year.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • As part of the pact, Sanofi is paying Regeneron $1 billion upfront, with possible milestone payments of up to $7 billion more.
    — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pact
Noun
  • The country held no direct presidential elections between 1960 and 1989, a period that included military rule from 1964 to 1985.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The company disputes that 27 odor complaints since 2024 and 67 videos of work being done outside permitted hours referenced in a city staff report represent actual violations of the city’s noise, odor and operating hour rules.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of rule
Noun
  • Our responsibility is to provide accurate medical information, compassionate counseling and the full range of medically reasonable options so patients can make informed decisions consistent with their values.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Sayegh also puts her staying power down to her father’s influence, which instilled core values like honoring deals, treating people with respect and booking movies based on audience demand and not personal taste.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of values

Browse Nearby Words

conventicles
convention
conventional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Convention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convention. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on convention

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about convention

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of discreet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All