convince

verb

con·​vince kən-ˈvin(t)s How to pronounce convince (audio)
convinced; convincing
Synonyms of convince

transitive verb

1
: to bring (as by argument) to belief, consent, or a course of action : persuade
… convinced himself that she was all right …—William Faulkner
something I could never convince him to read—John Lahr
2
obsolete
a
: to overcome by argument
b
: overpower, overcome
3
obsolete : demonstrate, prove
convincer noun

Synonyms of convince

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Examples of convince in a Sentence

He convinced me that the story was true. They convinced us of their innocence. I managed to convince myself that I was doing the right thing. We convinced them to go along with our scheme. I was unable to convince her to stay.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet future Israeli leaders may not be overly concerned about that problem, convinced that Israel, with its military might and technological edge, has too much to offer potential partners to be ignored or isolated. — Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2026 No economic pressure will convince people here to make a deal. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 The new president will need to convince investors that Brazil can stabilize its debt trajectory, said Alejo Czerwonko, a fellow at the Atlantic Council. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 Uthmeier used the case to attack the constitutionality of judicial waivers and convinced the court of appeals to strike down the law. — Jim Defede, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for convince

Word History

Etymology

Latin convincere to refute, convict, prove, from com- + vincere to conquer — more at victor

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of convince was in 1530

Rhymes for convince

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Browse Nearby Words

convictor
convince
convincement
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Cite this Entry

“Convince.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convince. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

convince

verb
con·​vince kən-ˈvin(t)s How to pronounce convince (audio)
convinced; convincing
: to make a person agree or believe by arguing or showing evidence
convinced me it was true
convincer noun
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