Word

convict

noun C1

UK /ˈkɒnvɪkt/

US /kənˈvɪkt/

Meanings

noun

a person who has been found guilty of a crime and is serving a prison sentence

verb

to prove in court that someone is guilty of a crime

Definition

A convict is a person who has been found guilty of a crime and is serving a punishment.

A convict is someone who has been officially judged guilty of a crime in court. The word often suggests that the person is serving a prison sentence or has served one in the past. It can be used as a noun for the person or as a verb meaning to prove someone guilty in a legal process.

Examples

The documentary follows a convict trying to rebuild his life after release.
After weeks of testimony, the jury voted to convict the defendant on the most serious charge.
She refused to treat the convict as a spectacle and spoke to him with basic courtesy.
If they convict him, the appeal process could still take months to resolve.
They hired a former convict who had completed training and demonstrated strong reliability.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse convict (a person found guilty) with suspect (a person believed to be guilty but not proven).