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:
Stormont's health committee will convene later with departmental officials, including the department's permanent secretary, following a request from the committee's chair, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 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
Then, 601 total delegates—including 101 from the state party’s governing body—will convene on July 25 to vote on a nominee.
From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026
A serious effort would convene the relevant experts to map the scenarios and build response infrastructure before the capability hits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
You convene in the rec room, and each day you beg and bargain with them to take you away.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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
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
The Munich meetings will take place just a few days before Trump convenes the inaugural session of his so-called "Board of Peace" on February 19 in Washington.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 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
But it wasn’t until it convened an expert advisory committee in 2024 that it entered development.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Immigration attorneys and other advocates quickly convened Thursday to determine how the ruling will affect immigrants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 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
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
Struggling to meet their final assignment from the Interim Commit tee, the four members of the scientific panel convened at Los Alamos on June 15.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Organisers at Kathmandu University, which was convening the August 23-29 event, said they were told to withdraw from hosting it.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
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
Utahns have also deluged Cox with thousands of letters in opposition, while regularly convening on the state Capitol with unflattering signs featuring O’Leary and Cox.
From Slate ● Jun. 1, 2026
After convening, the first order of business for the assembly would be to elect a president.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
