convict
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to prove or declare guilty of an offense, especially after a legal trial.
to convict a prisoner of a felony.
-
to impress with a sense of guilt.
noun
-
a person proved or declared guilty of an offense.
-
a person serving a prison sentence.
adjective
verb
noun
-
a person found guilty of an offence against the law, esp one who is sentenced to imprisonment
-
a person serving a prison sentence
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
convictableadjective
-
convictibleadjective
-
convictiveadjective
-
unconvictingadjective
-
unconvictiveadjective
-
convictivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
convictsimple
-
convictssimple
-
have convictedperfect
-
has convictedperfect
-
am convictingprogressive
-
are convictingprogressive
-
is convictingprogressive
-
have been convictingperfect progressive
-
has been convictingperfect progressive
Past
-
convictedsimple
-
had convictedperfect
-
was convictingprogressive
-
were convictingprogressive
-
had been convictingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convict
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb convicten, from Latin convictus, past participle of convincere, equivalent to con- “with, together” + vic-, variant stem of vincere “to overcome” + -tus past participle suffix; Middle English noun convict “(a) convict,” adjective convict “convicted,” past participle of convicten “to convince” (or directly from Latin ); see con-, convince
Explanation
A convict is a person who has been found guilty — convicted — of a crime and is serving a sentence in prison. When you convict (accent on the second syllable) someone of a crime, you find them guilty. The person is then a convict (accent on the first syllable). When the person is released from jail, he's an ex-con, that is, he's not a convict any more.
Vocabulary lists containing convict
13th Amendment (1865)
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!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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.
“You cannot convict Jonathan based on his character and you can’t punish him for his opinions because you don’t like him.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
He added: "Only where you are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt can you convict … that is the law."
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
Prosecutors also persuaded a jury to convict Left on charges related to long positions in stocks including Nvidia that he said others should buy but then quickly exited after their prices rose.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
In Flowers, Justice Clarence Thomas confidently declared in dissent that Mississippi could retry and convict Curtis Flowers.
From Slate • May 28, 2026
“Oh, you know...looking for a convict ball,” I say.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
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.
