Synonyms

convene

American

[kuhn-veen] / kənˈvin /

verb (used without object)

to come together or assemble, usually for some public purpose.

Synonyms:

gather, collect, meet, congregate

verb (used with object)

to cause to assemble; convoke.
to summon to appear, as before a judicial officer.

convene British

/ kənˈviːn /

verb

to gather, call together, or summon, esp for a formal meeting
(tr) to order to appear before a court of law, judge, tribunal, etc

"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

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Conjugated Forms

Present

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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."

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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:

convene convenes convened convening

The government said it would convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the strikes.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

In the US legal system, prosecutors convene grand juries to weigh evidence and testimony and eventually vote on whether they merit criminal charges.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Just as global leaders convene this week for the United Nations General Assembly, OpenAI is asking the U.S. government to lead an effort with other countries to develop global artificial-intelligence safety and security standards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Newsom issued an executive order to convene “a group of world-leading experts” to provide a “guide” for the state to bolster its laws around AI security, according to statement from the governor’s office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

“We should convene in a week’s time,” she says.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

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

Don Guinnip convenes his siblings at the farm in mid-October.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026

At Catalina’s, an older crowd with less current tastes convenes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 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

South Korea's National Security Office convened an emergency security meeting following the launch to review the country's military readiness.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

When they convened for a joint video interview in late September, Heaton had recently returned to his London home from a music video shoot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

The group has convened meetings since 2021, quietly advancing practical economic and other cooperation among Abraham Accords states.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

In 2001, in response to such critiques, the Smithsonian convened a blue-ribbon commission of historians and others led by Richard Darman, a former top aide in Republican White Houses.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

At two that afternoon an informal meeting convened in Rael’s General Store.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

The Rivas spokesman said there haven’t been any discussions about convening a special session soon to resume the wildfire debate and that he doesn’t expect one.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

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

It didn’t take long before everyone in our building was knocking on each other’s doors and convening out on the balcony, standing around stunned and shaking with fear.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023