convert
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
converts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
converted,
past participle, past
-
converting
present participle
-
to change (something) into a different form or properties; transmute; transform.
-
to cause to adopt a different religion, political doctrine, opinion, etc..
to convert the heathen.
- Synonyms:
- proselytize
-
to turn to another or a particular use or purpose; divert from the original or intended use.
They converted the study into a nursery for the baby.
-
to modify (something) so as to serve a different function.
to convert an automobile factory to the manufacture of tanks.
-
to obtain an equivalent value for in an exchange or calculation, as money or units of measurement.
to convert bank notes into gold; to convert yards into meters.
-
Finance. to exchange voluntarily (a bond or preferred stock) into another security, usually common stock, because of the greater value of the latter.
-
to change in character; cause to turn from an evil life to a righteous one.
to convert a criminal.
-
Chemistry. to cause (a substance) to undergo a chemical change.
to convert sugar into alcohol.
-
to invert or transpose.
-
Law.
-
to assume unlawful rights of ownership of (personal property).
-
to change the form of (property), as from realty to personalty or vice versa.
-
-
to appropriate wrongfully to one's own use.
-
Logic. to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion.
-
Computers. to subject to conversion.
verb (used without object)
-
converts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
converted,
past participle, past
-
converting
present participle
-
to become converted.
-
Football. to make a conversion.
noun
verb
-
to change or adapt the form, character, or function of; transform
-
to cause (someone) to change in opinion, belief, etc
-
to change (a person or his way of life, etc) for the better
-
(intr) to admit of being changed (into)
the table converts into a tray
-
(also intr) to change or be changed into another chemical compound or physical state
to convert water into ice
-
law
-
to assume unlawful proprietary rights over (personal property)
-
to change (property) from realty into personalty or vice versa
-
-
(also intr) rugby to make a conversion after (a try)
-
logic to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion
-
to change (a value or measurement) from one system of units to another
-
to exchange (a security or bond) for something of equivalent value
noun
Synonym Usage
See transform.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
convertsimple
-
convertssimple
-
have convertedperfect
-
has convertedperfect
-
am convertingprogressive
-
are convertingprogressive
-
is convertingprogressive
-
have been convertingperfect progressive
-
has been convertingperfect progressive
Past
-
convertedsimple
-
had convertedperfect
-
was convertingprogressive
-
were convertingprogressive
-
had been convertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convert1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb converten, from Latin convertere “to change completely,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vertere “to turn”; noun convert replacing converse, Middle English convers, ultimately from Latin conversus; see also converse 2, verse 1
Origin of convert2
By shortening of convertible
Explanation
Think of the word convert as meaning "change," whether it is a person who adopts a new belief, or a changing action, such as when you convert dollars into euros. Many times we can catch a word's meaning by looking at its origins. In this case, the Latin con means "around," while vertere means "turn." So we can figure that convert means to "turn around," an object or one's thoughts on an idea. For example, you might convert a meat eater into a vegetarian or an empty-nester might convert the kids' bedroom into an exercise room.
Vocabulary lists containing convert
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
To come up with story ideas, you should cultivate a writer’s mindset and convert all of life—the children in your elementary school, the conversation you overheard in a coffee shop—into potential material.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
So why is their financial adviser pushing them to convert more of their $950,000 in traditional IRAs to Roth accounts?
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
Around $2.85 billion of the stolen $6.34 billion has been frozen, Binance said, meaning that the attackers could not use it or convert it to another currency.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
His goal - a tap-in from two yards - was very difficult not to convert, with the opportunity having had an incredibly high xG of 0.995.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
They had decided that Reginald, the latest convert, the one to whom I felt closest, would best know how to approach me, since he knew me so well in the street life.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
They included descendants of immigrants, as well as converts to Islam.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
The retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye that converts incoming light into signals the brain can interpret.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
Plants’ “signature trick,” the foundation of life on earth, is photosynthesis, which converts light energy into chemical energy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Some converts say they're ditching polish as a way of rebelling against an entrenched female beauty standard or to save time and money.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
In fact, convict- converts usually were better prepared than were numerous prospective Muslims who never had been inside a prison.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
The government confiscated the property in the 1970s and converted it into a public school, until a court ruling returned it to the community in 1992, according to Tamimi.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
When the body does not use the glucose it absorbs, the surplus can eventually be converted into fat.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Chelsea's record £117m signing Rogers opened the scoring in the 50th minute before United defender Lisandro Martinez was sent off after conceding a penalty, which Palmer converted.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
Once that promotional period is up, any remaining balance is converted to the card’s standard variable APR.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Watson had always suspected that DNA was first converted into an intermediate message.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Milei, who grew up Catholic but has talked about converting to Judaism, has long had a confrontational relationship with the church.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
The mice also lost weight, suggesting that converting excess glucose rather than allowing it to contribute to fat storage could offer an additional metabolic benefit.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Since you have traditional IRAs totaling $950,000 that are subject to RMDs, they may have reasoned that converting now will reduce taxes on future distributions.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
The FBI added that it had observed "TraderTraitor actors" converting stolen assets into Ethereum, and expected those assets to be laundered further by converting them using decentralized finance and instant swap services.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
The canvas hood had been folded back because of the mild weather, converting the car into a magnificent open tourer.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
