Conviction

/kənˈvɪkʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a firmly held belief or opinion.

Her conviction that hard work leads to success motivated her every day.

the act of finding someone guilty of a crime in a court of law.

The jury's conviction of the defendant was based on overwhelming evidence.

the quality of showing great confidence or determination in one's beliefs.

He spoke with such conviction that everyone in the room was convinced.

From Middle French 'conviction', from Latin 'convictionem', from 'convincere' 'to conquer, to overcome'.

conviction of guilt

A legal term referring to the result of a trial where the accused is found guilty.

moral conviction

A strong belief that is based on one's moral principles.

political conviction

A strong belief or opinion regarding political matters.

convict

To declare someone guilty of a crime, often in a court.

convinced

Fully persuaded of something.

convincing

Capable of causing someone to believe that something is true.

A strong belief about something that is often passionately held.

He has a conviction about the importance of art in education.

To have one's beliefs strongly held, sometimes used in informal discussions.

She spoke her mind with conviction, making her arguments hard to refute.