convicted: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Legal, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “convicted” mean?
Having been formally found guilty of a crime by a court of law.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Having been formally found guilty of a crime by a court of law.
1. (Adjective) Describing a person who has been proven guilty in a legal trial. 2. (Adjective) Holding a strong belief or opinion. 3. (Verb, past tense/participle) The act of having found someone guilty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference in the core legal meaning. Spelling of related terms may differ (e.g., offence/offense).
Connotations
Identical in both varieties for the primary legal meaning.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to greater visibility of legal reporting.
Grammar
How to Use “convicted” in a Sentence
[sb] was convicted of [crime][sb] got convicted for [gerund/noun]the convicted [person]to have [sb] convictedVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “convicted” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was convicted of the offence and given a community order.
- The jury convicted her after three hours of deliberation.
American English
- She was convicted of the crime and sentenced to ten years.
- The court convicted them on all counts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in compliance/risk contexts: 'The company cannot hire a convicted fraudster.'
Academic
Used in legal, criminology, and sociology papers: 'The study followed 100 convicted juveniles.'
Everyday
News and discussion about crime: 'He was convicted and sent to prison.'
Technical
Core term in legal documents and court reporting.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “convicted”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “convicted”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “convicted”
- Using 'condemned' as a direct synonym (it's stronger, often implying moral judgement or death).
- Incorrect preposition: 'convicted for murder' (common but informal/colloquial) vs. standard 'convicted of murder'.
- Using as a present tense verb: 'The court convicted him yesterday' is correct, but 'He is convicted' is an adjective; don't say 'The court convicts him now' for a past event.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but corporations or entities can also be 'convicted' in a legal sense (e.g., 'The company was convicted of price-fixing').
'Convicted' means found guilty. 'Sentenced' is the punishment given after a conviction. One is convicted *of* a crime and sentenced *to* a punishment.
Rarely. In its secondary sense meaning 'having a strong belief' it can be neutral/positive (e.g., 'a convicted human rights activist'), but the dominant legal association carries a strongly negative connotation.
The standard preposition is 'of' (convicted of murder). Informally, 'for' is sometimes used (convicted for murder).
Having been formally found guilty of a crime by a court of law.
Convicted is usually formal, legal, journalistic in register.
Convicted: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈvɪktɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈvɪktɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A convicted man has few friends. (proverb)”
- “Convicted by the court of public opinion.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The CONvict was conVICTed.' The word 'victory' is hidden in it – the prosecution had the victory.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A SCALE/BALANCE; GUILT IS A BURDEN/STAIN; THE LAW IS A CONTAINER (to be in/out of it).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate synonym for 'convicted' in a legal context?