convenience

American  

[kuhn-veen-yuhns] / kənˈvin jəns /

noun

• conveniences
  plural

1. the quality of being convenient; suitability.

   Synonyms:

   availability, handiness, utility

2. anything that saves or simplifies work, adds to one's ease or comfort, etc., as an appliance, utensil, or the like.

3. a convenient situation or time.

   at your convenience.

4. advantage or accommodation.

   a shelter for the convenience of travelers.

5. Chiefly British. water closet.

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adjective

1. easy to obtain, use, or reach; made for convenience.

   convenience utensils that can be discarded after use.

convenience British  

/ kənˈviːnɪəns /

noun

1. the state or quality of being suitable or opportune

   the convenience of the hour

2. a convenient time or situation

3. at a time suitable to you

4. formal as soon as possible

5. usefulness, comfort, or facility

6. an object that is particularly useful, esp a labour-saving device

7. euphemistic a lavatory, esp a public one

8. to take advantage of; impose upon

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convenience Idioms  

1. see at one's convenience.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• conveniences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of convenience

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin convenientia “harmony, agreement,” from convenient-, stem of conveniēns “coming together” ( see convenient) + -ia -ia

Explanation

Even though the real reason you want the newest phone is that it's incredibly cool looking, you might pretend that what interests you is its convenience, or how easy and useful it will be. The noun convenience is a quality of ease or accessibility. Just think of a convenience store, which is arranged to be easy to get in and out of, and sells things you might need to grab on your way home. Some things are referred to as a convenience if the whole reason for their existence is to make life easier in some way, like electricity, indoor plumbing, and microwaveable meals.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

convenience conveniences

Dorfman’s products sell particularly well at truck stops and rest area convenience stores: the tiny items keep kids occupied and quiet on long drives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Some convenience stores had empty shelves over the weekend as residents raced to buy essentials.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

So many of us lead busy lives, he says, convenience is a major part of society.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

In an era of higher interest rates, banks have reaped big profits due to consumers’ reluctance to move money out of low-interest checking accounts that offer convenience and ready access to money.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

Juanita went into the convenience store to pay for the gas.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

“Who doesn’t want to move to a beautiful, wild area and have all the conveniences of the city? But it really strains the wildland-urban interface.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

The tradeoff for tight quarters is proximity to conveniences and culture not generally found in far-flung places.

From Salon ● Mar. 23, 2026

For example, hiring professional movers as opposed to using your friends, or buying lunch every day instead of brown-bagging it can feel like worthwhile conveniences.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2025

The 2.5T lineup is gifted with virtually all of Genesis’ advanced driver-assist systems and most available comfort and conveniences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2025

Jumbled piles of debris that had once been fixtures and conveniences inside the prison lay scattered all over the grounds.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• accessibility
• accommodation
• advantage
• assistance
• availability
• benefit
• comfort
• ease
• enjoyment
• satisfaction
• service
• usefulness