conviction

[kuhn-vik-shuhn]

noun

a fixed or firm belief: No clever argument, no persuasive fact or theory could make a dent in his conviction in the rightness of his position.

the act of convicting someone, as in a court of law; a declaration that a person is guilty of an offense.

the state of being convicted.

the act of convincing a person by argument or evidence.

the state of being convinced.

Origin of conviction

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin convictiōn- (stem of convictiō) proof (of guilt). See convict, -ion

Related formscon·vic·tion·al, adjectivenon·con·vic·tion, nounpre·con·vic·tion, nounpro·con·vic·tion, adjectivere·con·vic·tion, noun

Synonym study

1. See belief.

Antonyms for conviction

5. doubt, uncertainty.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for convictional

conviction

noun

the state or appearance of being convinced

a fixed or firmly held belief, opinion, etc

the act of convincing

the act or an instance of convicting or the state of being convicted

carry conviction to be convincing

Derived Formsconvictional, adjective

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

Word Origin and History for convictional

conviction

mid-15c., "the proving of guilt," from Late Latin convictionem (nominative convictio) "proof, refutation," noun of action from past participle stem of convincere (see convince). Meaning "mental state of being convinced" is from 1690s; that of "firm belief, a belief held as proven" is from 1841.

Idioms and Phrases with convictional

conviction

see courage of one's convictions.