CONVINCE Definition & Meaning

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convince

[ kuhn-vins ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

convinced, convincing.

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.
Synonyms:
to persuade; cajole:
We finally convinced them to have dinner with us.
Obsolete. to prove or find guilty.
Obsolete. to overcome; vanquish.

convince

/ ��ə��ˈ��ɪ�Բ� /

verb

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

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Usage Note

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.

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Usage

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

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Derived Forms

��ǲ�ˈ��Գ��, adjective
��ǲ�ˈ��Գ��, noun
��ǲ�ˈ��Գ��𳾱�Գ�, noun

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��ǲ�·��Գ�·�� noun
��ǲ�·��·��·�� adjective
��ǲ�·��Գ�·��·��·��·�ٲ� [k, uh, n-vin-s, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
��·��ǲ�·��Գ�� verb (used with object) preconvinced preconvincing
��·��ǲ�·��Գ�� verb (used with object) reconvinced reconvincing
un·��ǲ�·��·��·�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of convince¹

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”; victor

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of convince¹

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He's convinced that 'earthing' helps him avoid spring allergies and reconnect with something deeper.

From

"I was there to listen to them. Not that I was there to convince them or change minds or not."

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She’s convinced the dreams she’s been having as of late, and which she relays to her son in painstaking detail, offer clues as to where her husband may yet be found.

From

Our job tonight is to convince you the commitment is real.”

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My head is not exactly convinced that will happen, if I am being entirely honest, even though Wolves' best player Matheus Cunha is still out suspended.

From

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