Convince

/kənˈvɪns/

verbIntermediateVery CommonGeneral

Definitions

1

To cause someone to believe firmly in the truth of something.

/kənˈvɪns/

verbneutralIntermediate
General

To persuade someone to believe or do something.

She convinced her parents to let her go to the concert.

💡 Simply: It’s like when you finally get your friend to agree with your idea after a long discussion. You successfully *convince* them!

👶 For kids: To make someone believe something or agree to do something.

More Examples

2

The lawyer was able to convince the jury of his client's innocence.

3

I convinced him to try the new restaurant.

How It's Used

General

"He convinced her to go to the party."

Legal

"The prosecutor convinced the jury of the defendant's guilt."

Idioms & expressions

convince oneself

To persuade or cause oneself to believe something, especially when it might not be entirely true.

"She tried to convince herself that everything would be alright, even though she felt uneasy."

From Latin convincere, meaning 'to overcome, prove conclusively, convict'. It combines com- (with, together) and vincere (to conquer).

The word 'convince' has been used since the 14th century, initially relating to a sense of 'overcoming' and evolving to its modern meaning of persuading someone.

Memory tip

Think of winning someone over; you 'win' them to your side of an idea.

convienceconvinseconveince

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written