conviction

conviction — noun

1. the official outcome of a criminal trial when a judge or jury decides that the a

1.nounB2
Definition

the official outcome of a criminal trial when a judge or jury decides that the accused person is guilty of the offence they were charged with

Example

The court upheld her conviction for fraud after the appeal was rejected.

conviction + for + crime name

A criminal conviction can make it much harder to find stable employment.

countable use: a criminal conviction

Common collocations
  • previous conviction
  • criminal conviction
  • conviction for murder/theft/fraud
  • safe conviction
  • quash a conviction
  • appeal against a conviction
Synonyms
  • guilty verdict

    specifically the jury's decision, whereas 'conviction' can also refer to the legal outcome that follows

  • condemnation

    more formal and less common; can also carry moral judgement, whereas 'conviction' is strictly legal

Antonyms
  • acquittal

    the legal finding that someone is not guilty

Grammar Patterns

conviction + for + crime

conviction + of + accused person

Usage Note

Commonly modified by 'previous' or 'criminal' to describe a person's legal record. Frequently followed by 'for' naming the crime.

Common Mistakes

He got a conviction of murder.
He got a conviction for murder.
the crime follows 'for', not 'of'.
The conviction means he is crime.
The conviction means he has a criminal record.
'conviction' is a legal finding, not a synonym for 'crime' itself.

2. a very firm opinion or belief about what is right, true, or important — for exam

2.nounB2
Definition

a very firm opinion or belief about what is right, true, or important — for example, a person's political views, moral principles, or religious faith that guide their decisions and actions

Example

Eliska holds strong political convictions about social justice and equality.

strong + convictions + about + topic

The senator never compromised her moral convictions during the debate.

moral convictions — modified by moral/political/religious

Common collocations
  • strong convictions
  • political convictions
  • moral convictions
  • religious convictions
  • hold convictions
  • act on one's convictions
Synonyms
  • belief

    more general; a conviction is a belief held with exceptional firmness and principle

  • principle

    a moral rule or standard, whereas a conviction is a specific belief formed from one's principles

  • faith

    usually religious; conviction can be religious or non-religious

Antonyms
  • doubt

    the absence of firm belief

Grammar Patterns

conviction + that-clause

conviction + about + topic

Usage Note

Usually plural (convictions) when referring to a person's set of principles. The singular 'conviction' in this sense often appears with 'deep' or 'firm' modifiers.

Common Mistakes

My conviction is that dogs are better than cats.' (when meaning a casual opinion)
My conviction is that education is a basic human right.
'conviction' implies a deeply held, principled belief, not a casual preference.
She has strong conviction in God.
She has strong religious convictions.' or 'She holds a deep conviction that God exists.
this sense is countable and usually takes a that-clause or about-phrase.

3. the quality of being completely certain that something is true or right, shown t

3.nounB2
Definition

the quality of being completely certain that something is true or right, shown through the way you speak or act; a feeling of total sureness

Example

Yasmin spoke with such quiet conviction that nobody doubted her story.

with + conviction (adverbial use)

The singer performed each song with deep conviction, moving the audience.

Common collocations
  • with conviction
  • deep conviction
  • quiet conviction
  • lack conviction
  • note of conviction
Synonyms
  • certainty

    very close in meaning; 'certainty' is more about the state of being sure, while 'conviction' adds the nuance of confident expression

  • confidence

    broader in meaning; confidence can be in one's own abilities, whereas conviction is about the truth of a matter

  • assurance

    suggests a calm, controlled confidence; conviction can be more passionate

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

with conviction

conviction + that-clause

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable and typically appears in the phrase 'with conviction' or 'lack conviction'. It describes the manner of speaking or acting, not a specific opinion — distinguish from sense 2 (a belief is held; certainty is expressed).

Common Mistakes

He spoke with many convictions.
He spoke with conviction.
this sense is uncountable; do not use the plural form.
I have a conviction that it will rain.
I have a conviction that climate change is real.
when followed by a that-clause and referring to a belief, use sense 2, which is countable.
Idioms

have/lack the courage of your convictions

idiom

to be brave enough to do what you believe is right, even when it is difficult or risky; or conversely, to fail to act on what you believe

Stephanie had the courage of her convictions and resigned from a job she felt was unethical.

Liam lacked the courage of his convictions and voted against the proposal despite privately supporting it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All five words relate to what a person thinks or accepts as true, but they differ in strength and scope. A 'belief' is the most general term — anything from 'I believe it will rain' to deeply held religious faith. A 'conviction' is a belief held with unusual firmness, often rooted in moral or political values; you act on convictions even at personal cost. An 'opinion' is a personal judgement that may change with new evidence — it does not carry the weight of conviction. A 'view' is similar to opinion but suggests a broader perspective ('her view on immigration policy'). A 'principle' is a fundamental rule or standard of behaviour, from which specific convictions are drawn. For example, if your principle is 'always tell the truth', your conviction might be that whistle-blowing is morally required, and your opinion might be about the best way to report misconduct. Conviction is the strongest of the five in terms of personal commitment.

belief ↗conviction ↗opinion ↗view ↗principle ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • carry conviction
  • with conviction
  • courage of one's convictions

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'conviction' entered English through French in the 15th century, from Latin 'convictio' meaning 'proof' or 'refutation'. The root verb 'convincere' combines 'com-' (thoroughly) and 'vincere' (to conquer), so the original idea was 'to overcome by proof' — to convince someone of an argument. The meaning later split: one branch stayed in the legal domain (proving guilt), while the other broadened into the idea of holding a strongly proven belief.