What does conviction mean?
Word: Conviction
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Conviction means a firm belief, or a strong feeling of being sure. In a court, a conviction is the decision that a person is guilty.
Synonyms: belief, confidence, assurance
Antonyms: doubt, uncertainty
How do you spell conviction?
Syllables: con - vic - tion
Tricky part: The vowel after v is i, not e. Writing convection gives a different word, about heat moving through air or water.
Watch out for: convicttion, convictian, convicshun
Memory tip: Say the middle like the name Vic: con-VIC-tion. A firm belief needs a firm, short i.
Conviction in a sentence
Example 1: She spoke with such conviction that the whole class believed her.
Example 2: Nikhil has a strong conviction that every child should learn to swim.
Example 3: Dadi's conviction that fresh air is good for us gets the whole family out on a morning walk.
Fun Fact
Conviction comes from the Latin convincere, meaning to overcome or prove wrong, which also gave English the verb convince.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to conviction as used in the sentence:
The young captain told her team, with real conviction, that they could still win the final over.
a) anger
b) humour
c) worry
d) certainty
Show answer
d) certainty. Speaking with conviction means speaking with certainty, not with worry.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Meena argued her side of the debate with such ctinovcino that the judges gave her full marks.
a) conjunction
b) conviction
c) conversion
d) convocation
Show answer
b) conviction. Arguing with firm belief is arguing with conviction; conversion needs an r and an s, convocation an a, and conjunction a j and a u.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Our science teacher spoke with such convicsion about saving water that by the end of the week every student had fitted a bucket under the dripping tap at home.
a) science
b) dripping
c) convicsion
d) bucket
Show answer
c) convicsion. The ending is tion, the same as in the verb convict with ion added.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A person who acts out of conviction does something because they ____.
a) firmly believe it is right
b) have been ordered to
c) want to be paid for it
d) are afraid of being punished
Show answer
a) firmly believe it is right
2. Someone who has the courage of their convictions ____.
a) keeps their opinions to themselves
b) acts on what they believe even when it is hard
c) changes their mind to please their friends
d) argues about every small rule
Show answer
b) acts on what they believe even when it is hard
