conviction

[ kuhn-vik-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: convictionconvictions on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. the state of being convicted.

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

  3. the state of being convinced.

Origin of conviction

1
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; see convince) + -iō -ion

synonym study For conviction

1. See belief.

Opposites for conviction

Other words from conviction

  • con·vic·tion·al, adjective
  • non·con·vic·tion, noun
  • pre·con·vic·tion, noun
  • pro·con·vic·tion, adjective
  • re·con·vic·tion, noun

Words Nearby conviction

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use conviction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for conviction

conviction

/ (kənˈvɪkʃən) /


noun
  1. the state or appearance of being convinced

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

  1. the act of convincing

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

  3. carry conviction to be convincing

Derived forms of conviction

  • convictional, adjective

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 Idioms and Phrases with conviction

conviction

see courage of one's convictions.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.