convert

1 a person who has recently been persuaded to join a religious sect the converts were the most vocal and fervent worshippers in the church Synonyms neophyte, proselyte Related Words regenerate; newcomer, novice, novitiate, recruit; catechumen

2 one who follows the opinions or teachings of another the British biologist T. H. Huxley was one of the earliest converts to Darwin's theory of evolution Synonyms acolyte, adherent, follower, disciple, epigone, liege man, partisan (also partizan), pupil, votarist, votaryRelated Words apostle, missionary, proselytizer, soldier; faithful, loyalist; advocate, backer, champion, supporter; protégé, scholar, student; ideologist, ideologue (also idealogue), sectarian; admirer, cultist, devotee, enthusiast, fan, idolater (or idolator), worshipper (or worshiper), zealot; apparatchik, camp follower, flunky (also flunkey or flunkie), hanger-on, henchman, lackey, lickspittle, minion, myrmidon, satellite, stooge, sycophant, toady, yes-manNear Antonyms apostate, defector, renegade, traitor, turncoatAntonyms coryphaeus, leader

1 to persuade to change to one's religious faith young missionaries who go door-to-door trying to convert people Synonyms proselyte, proselytize Related Words missionize; brainwash, influence, sway; propagate Near Antonyms secularize; dissuade

2 to change in form, appearance, or use the old factory was converted into an apartment building Synonyms alchemize, make over, metamorphose, transfigure, transform, transmute, transpose, transubstantiate Related Words adjust, alter, modify, recast; redefine, redesign, redo, reengineer, refashion, regenerate, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary; deform, disfigure, distort, mutate, transmogrify; displace, replace, substitute, supplant

3 to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest request many who used to insist that global warming was a myth have since been converted Synonyms argue, bring, bring around, persuade, convince, gain, get, induce, move, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)Related Words blandish, blarney, cajole, coax, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, urge, wheedle; allure, beguile, lead on, lure, seduce, snow, tempt; brainwash, overpersuade; incline, influence, move, prompt, sell, sway; attract, draw, entice, interest; chew over, converse, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), moot; reason (with)Near Antonyms deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell

4 to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right the bailee converted the goods to his own use Synonyms arrogate, commandeer, appropriate, expropriate, pirate, preempt, press, seize, take over, usurpRelated Words annex, attach, claim, confiscate, impound, repossess, sequester; assume, collar, grab, grasp, snatch, steal, wrench, wrest; despoil, loot, pillage; encroach, infringe, invade, occupy, preoccupy, trespass; embezzle, misapply, misappropriate, misuse, peculate