conviction

American  

[kuhn-vik-shuhn] / kənˈvɪk ʃən /

noun

1. a fixed or firm belief.

   No clever argument, no persuasive fact or theory could make a dent in his conviction in the rightness of his position.

2. the act of convicting someone, as in a court of law; a declaration that a person is guilty of an offense.

3. the state of being convicted.

4. the act of convincing a person by argument or evidence.

5. the state of being convinced.

   Antonyms:

   uncertainty , doubt

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conviction British  

/ kənˈvɪkʃən /

noun

1. the state or appearance of being convinced

2. a fixed or firmly held belief, opinion, etc

3. the act of convincing

4. the act or an instance of convicting or the state of being convicted

5. to be convincing

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conviction Idioms  

1. see courage of one's convictions.

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Related Words

See belief.

Other Word Forms

• convictional adjective
• nonconviction noun
• preconviction noun
• proconviction adjective
• reconviction noun

Etymology

Origin of conviction

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin convictiōn-, stem of convictiō “proof (of guilt)” from convict(us) “convinced, conquered” (past participle of convincere; convince ) + -iō -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

No cases have ended in a conviction at trial.

From Los Angeles Times

After his conviction, the family court judge ruled that the couple's children would be able to visit their dad in prison after he began his sentence.

From BBC

Yet he acquired a reputation as a dandy, a clever humorist and an intellectual showman, distinctly apolitical and seemingly a man of no convictions.

From Los Angeles Times

Call that what it is: a defensive maneuver, not conviction.

From The Wall Street Journal

But pardons before convictions have been granted only once in Israel’s history.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• confidence
• faith
• feeling
• principle
• sentiment
• view