convert
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
converts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
converted,
past participle, past
-
converting
present participle
-
to change (something) into a different form or properties; transmute; transform.
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to cause to adopt a different religion, political doctrine, opinion, etc..
to convert the heathen.
- Synonyms:
- proselytize
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to turn to another or a particular use or purpose; divert from the original or intended use.
They converted the study into a nursery for the baby.
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to modify (something) so as to serve a different function.
to convert an automobile factory to the manufacture of tanks.
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to obtain an equivalent value for in an exchange or calculation, as money or units of measurement.
to convert bank notes into gold; to convert yards into meters.
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Finance. to exchange voluntarily (a bond or preferred stock) into another security, usually common stock, because of the greater value of the latter.
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to change in character; cause to turn from an evil life to a righteous one.
to convert a criminal.
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Chemistry. to cause (a substance) to undergo a chemical change.
to convert sugar into alcohol.
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to invert or transpose.
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Law.
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to assume unlawful rights of ownership of (personal property).
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to change the form of (property), as from realty to personalty or vice versa.
-
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to appropriate wrongfully to one's own use.
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Logic. to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion.
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Computers. to subject to conversion.
verb (used without object)
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converts,
present (3rd person singular)
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converted,
past participle, past
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converting
present participle
-
to become converted.
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Football. to make a conversion.
noun
verb
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to change or adapt the form, character, or function of; transform
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to cause (someone) to change in opinion, belief, etc
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to change (a person or his way of life, etc) for the better
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(intr) to admit of being changed (into)
the table converts into a tray
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(also intr) to change or be changed into another chemical compound or physical state
to convert water into ice
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law
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to assume unlawful proprietary rights over (personal property)
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to change (property) from realty into personalty or vice versa
-
-
(also intr) rugby to make a conversion after (a try)
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logic to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion
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to change (a value or measurement) from one system of units to another
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to exchange (a security or bond) for something of equivalent value
noun
Synonym Usage
See transform.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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convertsimple
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convertssimple
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have convertedperfect
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has convertedperfect
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am convertingprogressive
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are convertingprogressive
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is convertingprogressive
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have been convertingperfect progressive
-
has been convertingperfect progressive
Past
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convertedsimple
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had convertedperfect
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was convertingprogressive
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were convertingprogressive
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had been convertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convert1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb converten, from Latin convertere “to change completely,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vertere “to turn”; noun convert replacing converse, Middle English convers, ultimately from Latin conversus; see also converse 2, verse 1
Origin of convert2
By shortening of convertible
Explanation
Think of the word convert as meaning "change," whether it is a person who adopts a new belief, or a changing action, such as when you convert dollars into euros. Many times we can catch a word's meaning by looking at its origins. In this case, the Latin con means "around," while vertere means "turn." So we can figure that convert means to "turn around," an object or one's thoughts on an idea. For example, you might convert a meat eater into a vegetarian or an empty-nester might convert the kids' bedroom into an exercise room.
Vocabulary lists containing convert
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
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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:
Should Anthropic complete its IPO, the instruments would convert into common equity, ending the mark-to-market liability adjustments on Anthropic’s books, even as Amazon and Alphabet continue to mark the shares to market values.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
This sentiment has, however, been difficult to convert into political results.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
Having a development corporation in a central London semi-residential location would be unprecedented, with the method only previously being used to convert brownfield industrial areas at the Olympic Park and Old Oak Common.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026
Mitochondria are frequently described as the powerhouses of cells because they convert energy from food into a usable form called ATP, or adenosine triphosphate.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
Father would set the problem of ratios to me, in which I would have to convert the figures for a full- length original to a scaled-down model.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Cardinal Seán O’Malley called the divisions “scandalous,” insisting they had left converts “sad and embarrassed.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The AQI converts measurements of pollutants into a single figure indicating air quality and potential health risks.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Some converts say they're ditching polish as a way of rebelling against an entrenched female beauty standard or to save time and money.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
During flight, the AI-based policy receives information about the robot's position and converts it into real-time commands controlling factors such as thrust force and torques.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Ultraviolet light from the sun converts methane to more complex hydrocarbon molecules and hydrogen gas.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Once that promotional period is up, any remaining balance is converted to the card’s standard variable APR.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Locals turned out to help the injured, bringing blankets, food and water to a nearby sports hall that was converted into a makeshift hospital for much of the day.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
A third farmer named Mohammad, 30, who has converted 80 percent of his land to wheat, told AFP, that the lack of water in recent years has affected crops other than poppy.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Meanwhile, Denson told me, nearly everyone had converted all their money to cash, fearful that they could get locked up or deported at any moment, and lose access to checking accounts.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
He had converted most of the two-story barn in Montclair into a photographic laboratory.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
More importantly, Musk would then be able to use SpaceX’s ability to raise money to cover the enormous costs of converting Tesla’s current vehicle production to Cybercabs and Optimus robots.
From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026
She produced 12 winners and made just 11 unforced errors, compared to her opponent's 24, converting five of her 14 break points with some impressive groundstrokes.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
The soldiers carried Wi-Fi-capable radios that linked together to form a mobile network, converting their voices into digital signals so they could communicate through headsets much like on a Zoom call.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Researchers expose rock samples to neutrons, converting the non-radioactive potassium isotope potassium-39 into argon-39.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
Mark Oliphant developed a method of converting the water to gas with virtually no loss, allowing the lab to recycle the precious supply over and over again.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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