convene
Americanverb (used without object)
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convenes,
present (3rd person singular)
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convened,
past participle, past
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convening
present participle
verb (used with object)
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convenes,
present (3rd person singular)
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convened,
past participle, past
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convening
present participle
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to cause to assemble; convoke.
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to summon to appear, as before a judicial officer.
verb
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to gather, call together, or summon, esp for a formal meeting
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(tr) to order to appear before a court of law, judge, tribunal, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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convenernoun
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convenornoun
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reconveneverb
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convenableadjective
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unconvenableadjective
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unconvenedadjective
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unconveningadjective
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convenablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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convenesimple
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convenessimple
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have convenedperfect
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has convenedperfect
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am conveningprogressive
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are conveningprogressive
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is conveningprogressive
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have been conveningperfect progressive
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has been conveningperfect progressive
Past
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convenedsimple
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had convenedperfect
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was conveningprogressive
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were conveningprogressive
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had been conveningperfect progressive
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."
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:
"We've been in touch with government throughout this, with agencies throughout this, trying to convene people to pull them together," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he would convene new talks on ending the half-century-old Cyprus conflict, inviting leaders on the divided island and its three guarantor powers.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
The senate said it will convene a work group to meet over the next year to look at the issue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Somewhere in the government, a committee will soon convene on the question of the chinchilla.
From Slate ● Jun. 6, 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
He said he’d be very surprised if all the election results weren’t certified by Jan. 3, when the new Congress convenes, given the legal remedies available to prevent stalling and undue delay.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026
Similar summits took place last season as the club's hierarchy once again convenes for department meetings and discussions about future plans, including long-term infrastructure projects.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
On Thursdays, he convenes an interagency discussion of the latest threats.
From Salon ● Apr. 22, 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
He convened members of his cabinet at the Camp David presidential retreat on Friday -- but gave no indication of a possible shift in strategy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
From the fourth century to the 14th—when sea travel gradually replaced overland caravans—merchants, laborers, religious leaders, and government officials from across Eurasia convened there to exchange goods and culture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Grand jurys are composed of members of the public and convened by the US government to examine evidence and decide if there is enough to charge a person or persons with a crime.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
A compelling model comes from the burgeoning global movement of citizens’ assemblies — deliberative bodies in which a randomly selected, representative cross-section of the public is convened to consider complex policy questions.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
They were all leaders of Big Science, convened to contemplate its most important creation.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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
A former Oklahoma congressman named Dave McCurdy said that Muslim fundamentalists had been convening in the area.
From Slate ● Apr. 19, 2026
A widely respected Israeli news outlet tonight described Netanyahu convening a security cabinet meeting with just five minutes notice, shortly before the ceasefire announcement was made.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
