conviction
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a very strong opinion or belief that you are sure is right.
a firmly held belief or opinion. Often used with the preposition 'that' or 'of'.
Simple“She spoke with deep conviction about the need for better schools in the city.”
In context“It is my firm conviction that the proposed environmental regulations will ultimately strengthen the local economy rather than hinder it.”
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a formal decision in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime.
a formal declaration by a court of law or jury that someone is guilty of a criminal offence.
Simple“The thief had several previous convictions for stealing cars.”
In context“The prosecutor struggled to secure a conviction because the primary witness refused to testify under oath.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the feeling of being completely sure about something.
the state or quality of being convinced of the truth of something. Uncountable in this sense.
Simple“He lacked the conviction to lead the team through such a difficult project.”
In context“The actor delivered his lines with such conviction that the audience forgot they were watching a fictional play.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“The results produced by the evidenzer showed readings of 66 microgrammes of alcohol – three times the legal limit of 22µg – which resulted in his conviction for drink-driving on July 18, 2023.”
“Although she remains courteous and self-effacing, her long-held conviction that humans, like plants, repay attention and tenderness, has worn thin, and when an errant boyfriend fails to improve, she repurposes him as fertiliser.”
From late Middle English conviction, from Anglo-Norman conviction, from Latin convictiō, from convictus, the past participle of convincō (“to convict”). Equivalent to convict + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.