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."

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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

He pledged on Monday that the government would convene the first national summit dedicated to tackling rough sleeping later in the year.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

This was the first time since the 1982 Falklands War that legislators were asked to convene on a Saturday, reflecting the depth of Downing Street’s concern.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Then, 601 total delegates—including 101 from the state party’s governing body—will convene on July 25 to vote on a nominee.

From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026

But on Wednesday the prime minister will convene around a dozen leaders to discuss the new missile programme.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

The next morning, Percy, Hazel, and Frank ate breakfast early, then headed into the city before the senate was due to convene.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

The WSJ CFO & COO Council convenes the world’s top financial leaders so they can gain perspective on navigating market uncertainty, aligning priorities and making decisions that deliver measurable results.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

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

So it’s a given that the next time the group convenes, the Rams coach will have a specific situation and rule to discuss.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2025

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

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

Immigration attorneys and other advocates quickly convened Thursday to determine how the ruling will affect immigrants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Upon taking over from Tavares in 2025, Filosa convened a series of strategy meetings at U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., just outside Detroit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened Germany's national security council Friday to discuss an explosive-laden drone found near a Ukrainian cargo plane and the mid-air collision of another aircraft with an unidentified object this week.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Faced with open revolt, Infantino scrapped the plan and convened a meeting of his senior staff in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Poseidon strode over to his fishing seat, and the Olympian Council convened.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

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

"The continued failure to take steps to facilitate the convening of parliament is inconsistent with the constitution," said a copy of the judgement viewed by AFP.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

A former Oklahoma congressman named Dave McCurdy said that Muslim fundamentalists had been convening in the area.

From Slate ● Apr. 19, 2026

If he confirms, are you okay for convening at 5 tomorrow?

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

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