C1verb5K

Convict

UK /["/kənˈvɪkt/","/kənˈvɪkts/","/kənˈvɪktɪd/","/kənˈvɪktɪŋ/"]/US /["/kənˈvɪkt/","/kənˈvɪkts/","/kənˈvɪktɪd/","/kənˈvɪktɪŋ/"]/

Definition

to decide and state officially in court that somebody is guilty of a crime

In simple words: A person found guilty of a crime.

Examples

  • He was convicted of fraud.
  • a convicted murderer
  • There wasn’t enough evidence to convict her.
  • She was convicted of a serious driving offence.
  • They were convicted of the murder of two teenagers.
  • He was convicted on a drug charge.
  • She was convicted for her part in the crime.
  • They were convicted on all 13 counts.

Usage notes

Used in both formal and neutral contexts; appropriate in legal, crime-related discussions, but less so in casual conversations.

Grammar pattern

convict + object

Memory hint

Think of 'convict' as 'con' meaning against, and 'vict' meaning the person who lost.

Collocations

  • wrongfully
  • wrongly
  • rightly
  • for
  • of
  • on

Synonyms

  • prisoner
  • offender
  • criminal
  • felon
  • inmate

Antonyms

  • acquit
  • free

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'conviction', which refers to the judgment rather than the person.
  • Using 'convict' as a noun incorrectly in plural form ('convicts') without proper context.
  • Confusing the verb form ('to convict') with the noun form.