convey
Americanverb (used with object)
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conveys,
present (3rd person singular)
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conveyed,
past participle, past
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conveying
present participle
verb
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to take, carry, or transport from one place to another
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to communicate (a message, information, etc)
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(of a channel, path, etc) to conduct, transmit, or transfer
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law to transmit or transfer (the title to property)
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archaic to steal
Synonym Usage
See carry.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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conveysimple
-
conveyssimple
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have conveyedperfect
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has conveyedperfect
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am conveyingprogressive
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are conveyingprogressive
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is conveyingprogressive
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have been conveyingperfect progressive
-
has been conveyingperfect progressive
Past
-
conveyedsimple
-
had conveyedperfect
-
was conveyingprogressive
-
were conveyingprogressive
-
had been conveyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convey
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conveyen, from Anglo-French conveier, from unattested Vulgar Latin conviāre, equivalent to con- “with, together, completely” + -viāre, derivative of via “way”; see con- ( def. ), via ( def. )
Explanation
When you convey something, you carry or deliver it. Little Red Riding Hood conveyed a basket of muffins to her grandmother. Your sad smile might convey more about your feelings than words ever could. You can also convey a message or information, which means that you communicate it to someone directly or indirectly through your words or actions. In law, the word convey means to transfer or pass property to someone. This verb is from Middle English conveyen, from Old French conveier, ultimately from the Latin prefix com-, "together," plus via, "way."
Vocabulary lists containing convey
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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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:
Scent marks have to convey useful information even though their chemistry begins changing as soon as they are deposited.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
The Justice for Clayton movement “fastened itself to my life with a level of fixation that is difficult to convey without sounding unbelievable,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
"I was pleasantly surprised that there was a strong reference to tariffs, because India could have wanted to be less direct about it, but perhaps this was a chance to convey their displeasure," he added.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Some do recall the morning but struggle to convey the magnitude of pain and fear to students for whom 9/11 is another date in a social studies course timeline.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The letters A, C, and T convey very little meaning by themselves, but can be combined in ways to produce substantially different messages.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
The plainness is deliberate; Fields conveys quiet comfort and adoring acceptance without ever slipping into sentimentality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Wile E. Coyote conveys his hunger in a glower.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
A CeraVe TikTok touting a “looksmaxxing protocol” parodied “bone smashing” en route to advertising lotion, while Carl’s Jr. said its sandwich name conveys an “all-in mindset” in a culturally resonant way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
While Noseda sometimes practices likability to a fault, his sense of drama is ever sure, and it is hard to get enough of the lyrical sweetness he conveys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Herrero recounts an incident that nicely conveys the near indestructibility of the grizzly.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Earlier this month, he conveyed confidence about his race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
"Every report regarding shortages of personnel, equipment, water, or other needs must be conveyed immediately so that solutions can be found."
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
Dr Morkane added: "Following the collision, Jennifer was unable to recall events, exited the vehicle independently and she was conveyed to hospital."
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
As an introduction to this band, they couldn’t have chosen a better song; it precisely conveyed exactly who the band was and what they were about.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026
Somehow, bad news, however ridden with static, however filled with echoes, always manages to be conveyed.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
It is the same message officials across the country have been conveying in British Columbia, where around 115 fires are currently burning.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Contact with the Jewish community in recent months has become very limited, Kermanian said, with Iranian Jews needing to be careful about conveying even the most trivial information to the outside world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Greenspan exhibited a deft touch with financial markets, saying the barest minimum in his statements but seemingly always conveying what traders wanted to hear.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
These scenes are where the film does its best work, conveying the necessity of unstructured play with ease alongside the movie’s funniest jokes.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
We live in a sea of images conveying the culture and learning of modern civilization.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
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.
