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

He wants to set up shop in a USC dorm to bring even more convenience to students and eventually wants to take his bus to a corporate office space.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

A convenience store in the courthouse lobby has limited hot-food options, with offerings in recent weeks including a buffalo-chicken wrap and tilapia oreganata.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Such changes also reclaim space for protected bike lanes, public transit lines or safer walkways — after long prioritizing convenience for cars, advocates say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

However, there is a steep price to pay for such convenience.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

There’s a familiar gas station with a convenience store up ahead.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

The movie projects contempt for the dense from its first frame, sharing a montage of recent pop culture as a stentorian narrator worries that modern conveniences have perverted the concept of survival of the fittest.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026

“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

As it ought to be, the interior is spectacular, with traditional eyeball vents and chromed organ-pull dampers sharing space with discretely deployed digital displays and other modern conveniences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 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

As the opening draws near, apprehensions of small business owners rise, while others welcome the employment opportunities and shopping conveniences a SmartMart promises.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

Related Words

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