convenient
Americanadjective
-
suitable or agreeable to the needs or purpose; well-suited with respect to facility or ease in use; favorable, easy, or comfortable for use.
- Synonyms:
- advantageous, helpful, useful, serviceable
-
at hand; easily accessible.
Their house is convenient to all transportation.
- Synonyms:
- handy
-
Obsolete. fitting; suitable.
adjective
-
suitable for one's purpose or needs; opportune
-
easy to use
-
close by or easily accessible; handy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of convenient
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from from Latin convenient- (stem of conveniēns ), present participle of convenīre “to be suitable, come together”; see convene, -ent
Explanation
If something is convenient, it adds to your comfort, causes little trouble, or is easy to use, do, or reach. If you live close to your job, that's convenient––it's very easy to get there and get home. This adjective descends from Middle English, from Latin conveniēns, from convenīre "to be suitable, fit." The basic meaning of Latin convenīre is "to agree, meet, come together," and this is the source of English convene. The opposite of convenient is inconvenient, meaning making trouble or annoyance for you. The corresponding nouns are convenience and inconvenience.
Vocabulary lists containing convenient
The Articles of Confederation (1777)
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Messenger
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Game Changer
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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.
Hig’s Cessna works fine until it’s narratively convenient that it doesn’t.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
It boasts an acclaimed healthcare system, loads of cultural activities, pro sports teams and a convenient international airport, and its home prices are far below those in most cities with comparable amenities.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
The bargain is convenience, and often it genuinely is convenient.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
"We can't ban them. They exist, they inform the public, for some people that's convenient," spokesman Yuri Ignat told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
“Oftentimes very convenient, no doubt, but never pleasing. There is safety in reserve, but no attraction. One cannot love a reserved person.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
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.
