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convince

[ kuhn-vins ]
/ kənˈvɪns /
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See synonyms for: convince / convinced / convinces / convincing on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), con·vinced, con·vinc·ing.
to move by argument or evidence to belief, agreement, consent, or a course of action: Ample evidence convinced the jury of his guilt.A test drive will convince you that this car handles well.
to persuade; cajole: We finally convinced them to have dinner with us.
Obsolete. to prove or find guilty.
Obsolete. to overcome; vanquish.
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Origin of convince

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin convincere “to prove (something) false or true, (somebody) right or wrong,” equivalent to con- con- + vincere “to overcome”; see victor

usage note for convince

Convince, an often stated rule says, may be followed only by that or of, never by to: We convinced him that he should enter (not convinced him to enter ) the contest. He was convinced of the wisdom of entering. In examples to support the rule, convince is often contrasted with persuade, which may take to, of, or that followed by the appropriate construction: We persuaded him to seek counseling (or of his need for counseling or that he should seek counseling ). The history of usage does not support the rule. Convince (someone) to has been in use since the 16th century and, despite objections by some, occurs freely today in all varieties of speech and writing and is fully standard: Members of the cabinet are trying to convince the prime minister not to resign.

OTHER WORDS FROM convince

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to convince

assure, get, persuade, prompt, prove, satisfy, sway, brainwash, change, demonstrate, draw, effect, establish, hook, induce, overcome, refute, sell, turn, bring around

How to use convince in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for convince

convince
/ (kənˈvɪns) /
verb (tr)
(may take a clause as object) to make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something; persuade
mainly US to persuade (someone) to do something
obsolete
  1. to overcome
  2. to prove guilty

Derived forms of convince

convincement, nounconvincer, nounconvincible, adjective

Word Origin for convince

C16: from Latin convincere to demonstrate incontrovertibly, from com- (intensive) + vincere to overcome, conquer

usage for convince

The use of convince to talk about persuading someone to do something is considered by many British speakers to be wrong or unacceptable
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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