convinced

UK: /kənˈvɪnst/ US: /kənˈvɪnst/

From the verb convince: (⇒ conjugate)

convinced is: ⓘ

v past

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•vinced /kənˈvɪnst/   adj. 

1. [be + ~ + of + object] made certain by persuasion:
   She was convinced of my innocence.
2. believing in something fully or completely:
   [before a noun] a convinced atheist.
con•vinc•ed•ly /kənˈvɪnsɪdli/  adv. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•vince /kənˈvɪns/   v., -vinced, -vinc•ing. 

1. to cause (someone) to believe in, or agree to, something by using argument: [~ + object + of + object]
   The prosecutor could not convince the jurors of the defendant's guilt.
   [~ + object + (that) clause]
   could not convince the jurors that the defendant was guilty.
2. to persuade; coax:
   [~ + object + to + verb] We finally convinced them to stay.

con•vinc•er, n. [countable]
con•vinc•i•bil•i•ty /kənˌvɪnsəˈbɪlɪti/  n. [uncountable]
con•vin•ci•ble, adj. See -vinc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•vince  (kən vins′), v.t., -vinced, -vinc•ing. 

1. to move by argument or evidence to belief, agreement, consent, or a course of action:
   to convince a jury of his guilt; A test drive will convince you that this car handles well.
2. to persuade;
   cajole:
   We finally convinced them to have dinner with us.
3. [Obs.] to prove or find guilty.
4. [Obs.] to overcome;
   vanquish.

• Latin convincere to prove (something) false or true, (somebody) right or wrong, equivalent. to con- con- + vincere to overcome; see victor
• 1520–30

con•vinc′ed•ly, adv. 
con•vinc′ed•ness, n. 
con•vinc′er, n. 
con•vin′ci•ble, adj. 
con•vinc′i•bil′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. satisfy.

Usage

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.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

convince / kənˈvɪns/ verb (transitive)

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

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin convincere to demonstrate incontrovertibly, from com- (intensive) + vincere to overcome, conquer

conˈvincer noun

conˈvincible adjective

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