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

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Present

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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."

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Vocabulary lists containing convene

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

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com-, con-

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This Week in Words: April 14 - 20, 2018

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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

Today’s changing environment should mean “more ad hoc meetings. If something comes up, you just quickly convene for half an hour to discuss exactly what decisions should be made.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026

Michael Schneider of Streets for All, an advocacy nonprofit, said he expects Raman to convene a task force to address issues around the people mover project during her first 100 days in office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

A grand jury, however, might convene only once a month, requiring the need for an expedited procedure.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

The government said it would convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the strikes.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

We would, when possible, convene a general members’ meeting, which we regarded as vital to the health of our organization.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

But the prospects of these and other changes aimed at making retirement more affordable look stronger once the new Congress convenes in January.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026

A gaggle of Slatesters convenes to discuss live.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026

The board generally convenes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in an ornate, high-ceilinged room on the fourth floor of City Hall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

Warsh this week presided over his second meeting of the 12-person Federal Open Market Committee, which convenes in Washington eight times a year to determine where to set interest rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Jackson is outraged, orders a court-martial which never convenes.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

The group alerted the exchange’s top executives, who convened a crisis team of some 100 employees.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

The mayor met with a group of business owners in the area in 2023 and she convened weekly safety meetings between business owners, district leaders and local law enforcement to address their concerns, Vega said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

She convened representatives of six platforms for a meeting in the presence of interior and justice ministry officials.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

Radev convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday and said he had summoned Russian envoy Eleonora Mitrofanova.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

They were all leaders of Big Science, convened to contemplate its most important creation.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

It’s still a time for convening, listening, understanding, she noted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 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

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