conference

conference — noun

1. a large gathering, often lasting several days, where people who share a professi

1.nountransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

a large gathering, often lasting several days, where people who share a profession or interest attend talks, workshops, and discussions focused on a chosen theme

Example

Christopher flew to Singapore for a three-day conference on renewable energy.

conference + on + topic

The hospital sent two nurses to a medical conference in Taipei last month.

Common collocations
  • hold a conference
  • attend a conference
  • organise a conference
  • annual conference
  • international conference
  • press conference
  • conference centre
  • conference call
Synonyms
  • convention

    larger, often annual gathering of an organisation or industry

  • symposium

    more academic and research-focused, typically smaller

  • summit

    high-level meeting of leaders, usually in politics or business

  • seminar

    shorter teaching-oriented session rather than a multi-day event

Grammar Patterns

conference + on/about + topic

Usage Note

This sense usually refers to a multi-day event, not a short office meeting. Common verbs are 'hold', 'attend', 'organise', and 'go to'. The preposition 'on' introduces the topic ('a conference on climate change').

Common Mistakes

I have a conference with my boss at 3pm.
I have a meeting with my boss at 3pm.
A conference is a large formal event, not a quick work discussion.
We went to conference in Tokyo.
We went to a conference in Tokyo.
'Conference' in this sense is countable and needs a determiner.

2. a formal meeting in which two or more people discuss important matters; the acti

2.nountransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

a formal meeting in which two or more people discuss important matters; the activity of being in such a discussion — for example, managers conferring about budgets, or lawyers negotiating a deal

Example

Noor is in conference with the school principal and will call you back later.

in conference (with) — fixed expression

The lawyers held a conference with the client before the trial began.

hold a conference with [person]

Common collocations
  • in conference
  • in conference with
  • have a conference with
  • hold a conference with
  • request a conference
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

in conference (with)

have/hold a conference (with)

Usage Note

The uncountable use ('in conference') is fixed: no article is used. The countable use ('a conference with someone') often refers to a specific discussion meeting. This sense is more formal than the everyday word 'meeting'.

Common Mistakes

My friend and I had a conference about what movie to watch.
My friend and I talked about what movie to watch.
'Conference' is too formal for casual decisions.
She is in the conference with the manager.
She is in conference with the manager.
'In conference' takes no article; it is a fixed uncountable phrase.

3. one of the groups into which a large sports league divides its teams for organis

3.nountransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

one of the groups into which a large sports league divides its teams for organised competition — for example, the Eastern and Western conferences in the NBA

Example

Théo's team finished at the top of the Eastern Conference this season.

Conference capitalised as part of a proper name

The Southeastern Conference has produced some of the strongest college football teams in the country.

Common collocations
  • conference champion
  • conference title
  • conference game
  • conference finals
  • Eastern Conference
  • Western Conference
  • conference standings
Synonyms
  • division

    sometimes a smaller sub-group within a conference; in UK sports, used where US uses 'conference'

  • league

    the overall organisation that contains conferences

Grammar Patterns

the + [adjective] + Conference

Conference + [noun]

Usage Note

In US professional sports, teams are divided into conferences (e.g. Eastern / Western) that are further split into divisions. The word is capitalised when it is part of a proper name (e.g. 'the Pacific Conference'). In British English, the term 'division' is more common.

Common Mistakes

The Lakers play in the Western League of the NBA.
The Lakers play in the Western Conference of the NBA.
In US sports, 'conference' is the correct term for the large sub-group within a league like the NBA or NFL.
Barcelona won the conference this year.
Barcelona won their league this year.
European football uses 'league' or 'division', not 'conference'.

Word family

  • confer
    verbB2
  • confer
    verb (bestow)C1
  • conferee
    nounC1
  • teleconference
    nounB2
  • videoconference
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe gatherings where people exchange information, but they differ in size, formality, and purpose. A 'convention' is usually the largest — annual meetings of professional bodies or fans, often with exhibitions ('a comic-book convention'). A 'symposium' is more focused on academic research with formal presentations and panel discussions ('a symposium on ancient Greek pottery'). A 'summit' is a high-level meeting of political or business leaders making major decisions ('a climate summit attended by world leaders'). A 'seminar' is the smallest and most teaching-oriented — a single session or short series where an expert leads discussion ('a one-day seminar on tax law'). If you are organising a multi-day event with various speakers and workshops, 'conference' is the most neutral and widely understood choice.

convention ↗symposium ↗summit ↗seminar ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • conference centre
  • conference room
  • conference call

Phrases

  • press conference
  • conference paper
  • conference programme
  • conference proceedings

Prepositions

  • at a conference
  • in conference
  • for a conference
  • during a conference
  • conference on/about

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'conference' entered English during the 1500s from French 'conférence', which came from Latin 'conferentia' — a meeting of people to compare or exchange views. The Latin root 'conferre' is made of 'com-' (together) and 'ferre' (to carry or bring), so the original image is of people 'bringing together' their ideas or opinions.