Synonyms

convene

American

[kuhn-veen] / kənˈvin /

verb (used without object)

to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.

Synonyms:

gather, collect, meet, congregate

verb (used with object)

to cause to assemble; convoke.
to summon to appear, as before a judicial officer.

convene British

/ kənˈviːn /

verb

to gather, call together, or summon, esp for a formal meeting
(tr) to order to appear before a court of law, judge, tribunal, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of convene

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin convenīre to come together, equivalent to con- con- + venīre to come

Explanation

The verb convene is a somewhat formal way of saying "to bring together for the purpose of a meeting." Convene is one of those words that lend an air of formality to a situation. We use it in place of the words "call a meeting" for such situations as government assemblages, court hearings, and conferences. Its meaning can be easily seen in its history — it comes from the Latin con-, which means "together," and the verb venīre, "to come." Imagine, if the syllables had just fit the music, the Beatles song "Come Together," might have been called "Convene."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing convene

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

com-, con-

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

This Week in Words: April 14 - 20, 2018

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

convene convenes convened convening

The independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing – which could take months to convene – to decide the punishment.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The call to action comes as global leaders convene in New York City this week for the United Nations General Assembly and as President Trump prepares to host Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

Newsom issued an executive order to convene “a group of world-leading experts” to provide a “guide” for the state to bolster its laws around AI security, according to statement from the governor’s office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

Bruna Subashi, an energetic woman in her 40s, asked to convene in a luridly pink dessert parlor on Vlore’s waterfront called Big Scoop.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

The belief that people should convene to help one another was valued in my family.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Boro remain in a state of limbo until the independent disciplinary commission convenes.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

On Thursdays, he convenes an interagency discussion of the latest threats.

From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2026

The president convenes a starry meeting to address the current chaos, and pledges an executive order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

At Catalina’s, an older crowd with less current tastes convenes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026

I’ll have to catch him later, when our team convenes.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

At a July meeting convened by senior White House officials, tensions were running high.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

In 2001, in response to such critiques, the Smithsonian convened a blue-ribbon commission of historians and others led by Richard Darman, a former top aide in Republican White Houses.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

But it is highly unlikely the recess will be delayed or a special session convened in the coming days.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Former Deputy Mayor of Economic Development William “Billy” Chun convened recurring meetings between the museum’s development team and senior officials from Building and Safety, Public Works, the Department of Water and Power and other agencies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

As far as Jefferson and Madison were concerned, only Congress could relocate itself, and it could do this only after it officially convened in Philadelphia.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Organisers at Kathmandu University, which was convening the August 23-29 event, said they were told to withdraw from hosting it.

From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026

But “The Real Food Show” cannot recommend a salad dressing without first convening a tribunal.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

A duo for the ages is convening once again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Utahns have also deluged Cox with thousands of letters in opposition, while regularly convening on the state Capitol with unflattering signs featuring O’Leary and Cox.

From Slate ● Jun. 1, 2026

After convening, the first order of business for the assembly would be to elect a president.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023