con·vert
(kən-vûrt′)
v. con·vert·ed, con·vert·ing, con·verts
v.tr.
1. To change (something) into another form, substance, state, or product; transform: convert water into ice.
2. To change (something) from one use, function, or purpose to another; adapt to a new or different purpose: convert a forest into farmland.
3. To persuade or induce to adopt a particular religion, faith, or belief: convert pagans to Christianity; was converted to pacifism by the war.
4. To exchange for something of equal value: convert assets into cash.
5. To express (a quantity) in alternative units: converting feet into meters.
6. Logic To transform (a proposition) by conversion.
7. Law To appropriate (another’s property) without right to one’s own use.
8. Sports
a. To complete (a conversion, penalty shot, or free throw) successfully.
b. To score (a spare) in bowling.
v.intr.
1. To undergo a conversion: We converted to Islam several years ago.
2. To be converted: a sofa that converts into a bed; arms factories converting to peacetime production.
3.
a. Football To make a conversion.
b. Sports To shoot and score a goal, especially immediately after receiving a pass or gaining control of a rebound.
n. (kŏn′vûrt′)
One who has been converted, especially from one religion or belief to another.
[Middle English converten, from Old French convertir, from Latin convertere, to turn around : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + vertere, to turn; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: convert, metamorphose, transfigure, transform, transmogrify, transmute
These verbs mean to change into a different form, substance, or state: convert stocks into cash; misery that was metamorphosed into happiness; a gangling adolescent who was transfigured into a handsome adult; transformed the bare stage into an enchanted forest; a boom that transmogrified the sleepy town into a bustling city; transmute one’s experiences into fiction.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
convert
vb (mainly tr)
1. to change or adapt the form, character, or function of; transform
2. to cause (someone) to change in opinion, belief, etc
3. to change (a person or his or her way of life, etc) for the better
4. (intr) to admit of being changed (into): the table converts into a tray.
5. (Chemistry) (also intr) to change or be changed into another chemical compound or physical state: to convert water into ice.
6. (General Physics) (also intr) to change or be changed into another chemical compound or physical state: to convert water into ice.
7. (Law) law
a. to assume unlawful proprietary rights over (personal property)
b. to change (property) from realty into personalty or vice versa
8. (Rugby) (also intr) rugby to make a conversion after (a try)
9. (Logic) logic to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion
10. (Mathematics) to change (a value or measurement) from one system of units to another
11. (Banking & Finance) to exchange (a security or bond) for something of equivalent value
n
a person who has been converted to another belief, religion, etc
[C13: from Old French convertir, from Latin convertere to turn around, alter, transform, from vertere to turn]
conˈvertive adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
con•vert
(v. kənˈvɜrt; n. ˈkɒn vɜrt)
v.i.
1. to change into something of different form or properties; transmute; transform.
2. to cause to adopt a different religion, belief, political doctrine, course, etc.
3. to cause a change from disbelief to faith.
4. to turn to another use or purpose; modify so as to serve a different function: to convert the study into a nursery.
5. to obtain an equivalent value for in an exchange or calculation, as money or units of measurement: to convert yards into meters.
6. to exchange (a bond or preferred stock) for another security, esp. common stock.
7. to cause (a substance) to undergo a chemical change: to convert sugar into alcohol.
8. to invert or transpose.
9.
a. to assume unlawful rights of ownership of (personal property).
b. to change the form of (property), as from realty to personalty or vice versa.
10. to transpose the subject and predicate of (a logical proposition) by conversion.
11. to transmute (fertile material) into fissile nuclear fuel by neutron bombardment.
v.i.
12. to become converted.
13. to make a conversion in football or basketball.
n.
14. one who has been converted, as to a religion.
[1250–1300; < Latin convertere to change completely]
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Convert
1. the condition of a new convert to a religious belief.
2. the condition of a newly baptized convert to the early Christian church. — neophyte, n. — neophytic, adj.
1. the act of becoming or the condition of being a convert to an opinion, political party, or religious group.
2. an active policy of inviting or persuading converts, especially to a religious position. — proselyte, n. — proselyter, proselytist, n. — proselytize, v. — proselytistic, adj.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
convert
Past participle: converted
Gerund: converting
| Imperative |
|---|
| convert |
| convert |
| Present |
|---|
| I convert |
| you convert |
| he/she/it converts |
| we convert |
| you convert |
| they convert |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I converted |
| you converted |
| he/she/it converted |
| we converted |
| you converted |
| they converted |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am converting |
| you are converting |
| he/she/it is converting |
| we are converting |
| you are converting |
| they are converting |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have converted |
| you have converted |
| he/she/it has converted |
| we have converted |
| you have converted |
| they have converted |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was converting |
| you were converting |
| he/she/it was converting |
| we were converting |
| you were converting |
| they were converting |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had converted |
| you had converted |
| he/she/it had converted |
| we had converted |
| you had converted |
| they had converted |
| Future |
|---|
| I will convert |
| you will convert |
| he/she/it will convert |
| we will convert |
| you will convert |
| they will convert |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have converted |
| you will have converted |
| he/she/it will have converted |
| we will have converted |
| you will have converted |
| they will have converted |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be converting |
| you will be converting |
| he/she/it will be converting |
| we will be converting |
| you will be converting |
| they will be converting |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been converting |
| you have been converting |
| he/she/it has been converting |
| we have been converting |
| you have been converting |
| they have been converting |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been converting |
| you will have been converting |
| he/she/it will have been converting |
| we will have been converting |
| you will have been converting |
| they will have been converting |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been converting |
| you had been converting |
| he/she/it had been converting |
| we had been converting |
| you had been converting |
| they had been converting |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would convert |
| you would convert |
| he/she/it would convert |
| we would convert |
| you would convert |
| they would convert |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have converted |
| you would have converted |
| he/she/it would have converted |
| we would have converted |
| you would have converted |
| they would have converted |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. | convert — a person who has been converted to another religious or political belief
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul — a human being; «there was too much for one person to do» Converso — (medieval Spain and Portugal) a Jew or Moor who professed to convert to Christianity in order to avoid persecution or expulsion proselyte — a new convert; especially a gentile converted to Judaism |
| Verb | 1. | convert — change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy; «We converted from 220 to 110 Volt»
change over alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue» transduce — cause transduction (of energy forms) metricate, metricise, metricize, metrify — convert from a non-metric to the metric system decimalise, decimalize — change to the decimal system; «The country decimalized the currency in 1975» float — convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation; «float data» |
| 2. | convert — change the nature, purpose, or function of something; «convert lead into gold»; «convert hotels into jails»; «convert slaves to laborers»
caramelise, caramelize — convert to caramel rasterize — convert (an image) into pixels convert — change in nature, purpose, or function; undergo a chemical change; «The substance converts to an acid» humify — convert (plant remains) into humus verbalise, verbalize — convert into a verb; «many English nouns have become verbalized» sporulate — convert into spores novelise, novelize, fictionalise, fictionalize — convert into the form or the style of a novel; «The author novelized the historical event» deaden — convert (metallic mercury) into a grey powder consisting of minute globules, as by shaking with chalk or fatty oil opalise, opalize — replace or convert into opal; «opalized tree trunks» receive — convert into sounds or pictures; «receive the incoming radio signals» reconvert — convert back; «Hollywood is reconverting old films» malt — convert into malt malt — convert grain into malt alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue» feudalize — bring (a country or people) under feudalism flour — convert grain into flour reclaim — make useful again; transform from a useless or uncultivated state; «The people reclaimed the marshes» ferment, work — cause to undergo fermentation; «We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content»; «The vintner worked the wine in big oak vats» nitrify — convert into nitric acid, nitrous acid, or nitrate, especially with the action of nitrobacteria fossilise, fossilize — convert to a fossil; «The little animals fossilized and are now embedded in the limestone» tan — treat skins and hides with tannic acid so as to convert them into leather dress — convert into leather; «dress the tanned skins» compost — convert to compost; «compost organic debris» transition — cause to convert or undergo a transition; «the company had to transition the old practices to modern technology» transcribe — convert the genetic information in (a strand of DNA) into a strand of RNA, especially messenger RNA scrap — make into scrap or refuse; «scrap the old airplane and sell the parts» keratinise, keratinize — convert into keratin diazotize — convert (an amine) into a diazo compound hay — convert (plant material) into hay lignify — convert into wood or cause to become woody mineralize — transform (a metal) into an ore mineralize — convert into a mineral substance ozonise, ozonize — convert (oxygen) into ozone slag — convert into slag sulfate — convert into a sulfate cutinize — convert into cutin duplex — change into a duplex encode — convert information into code; «encode pictures digitally» |
|
| 3. | convert — change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief; «She converted to Buddhism»
change — undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one’s or its original nature; «She changed completely as she grew older»; «The weather changed last night» convert — cause to adopt a new or different faith; «The missionaries converted the Indian population» |
|
| 4. | convert — exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category; «Could you convert my dollars into pounds?»; «He changed his name»; «convert centimeters into inches»; «convert holdings into shares»
exchange, commute, change rectify — convert into direct current; «rectify alternating current» utilize — convert (from an investment trust to a unit trust) capitalise, capitalize — convert (a company’s reserve funds) into capital replace — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected); «He replaced the old razor blade»; «We need to replace the secretary that left a month ago»; «the insurance will replace the lost income»; «This antique vase can never be replaced» launder — convert illegally obtained funds into legal ones switch, change, shift — lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; «switch to a different brand of beer»; «She switched psychiatrists»; «The car changed lanes» break — exchange for smaller units of money; «I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy» |
|
| 5. | convert — cause to adopt a new or different faith; «The missionaries converted the Indian population»
alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue» convert — change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief; «She converted to Buddhism» Islamise, Islamize — convert to Islam; «The Mughals Islamized much of Northern India in the 16th century» Christianise, Christianize — convert to Christianity; «missionaries have tried to Christianize native people all over the world» evangelise, evangelize — convert to Christianity; «The missionaries evangelized the Pacific Islanders» catholicise, catholicize, latinise, latinize — cause to adopt Catholicism proselytise, proselytize — convert to another faith or religion |
|
| 6. | convert — score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone; «Smith converted and his team won»
convert — score (a spare) rack up, score, tally, hit — gain points in a game; «The home team scored many times»; «He hit a home run»; «He hit .300 in the past season» |
|
| 7. | convert — complete successfully; «score a penalty shot or free throw»
convert — score (a spare) rack up, score, tally, hit — gain points in a game; «The home team scored many times»; «He hit a home run»; «He hit .300 in the past season» |
|
| 8. | convert — score (a spare)
bowling — a game in which balls are rolled at an object or group of objects with the aim of knocking them over or moving them convert — complete successfully; «score a penalty shot or free throw» convert — score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone; «Smith converted and his team won» rack up, score, tally, hit — gain points in a game; «The home team scored many times»; «He hit a home run»; «He hit .300 in the past season» |
|
| 9. | convert — make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something; «He had finally convinced several customers of the advantages of his product»
convince, win over persuade — cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody’s arm; «You can’t persuade me to buy this ugly vase!» disarm — make less hostile; win over; «Her charm disarmed the prosecution lawyer completely» |
|
| 10. | convert — exchange a penalty for a less severe one
commute, exchange alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue» |
|
| 11. | convert — change in nature, purpose, or function; undergo a chemical change; «The substance converts to an acid»
chemical science, chemistry — the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions change — undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one’s or its original nature; «She changed completely as she grew older»; «The weather changed last night» caramelise, caramelize — be converted into caramel; «The sugar caramelized» convert — change the nature, purpose, or function of something; «convert lead into gold»; «convert hotels into jails»; «convert slaves to laborers» malt — turn into malt, become malt immobilise, immobilize — convert (assets) into fixed capital melanise, melanize — convert into, or infiltrate with melanin |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
convert
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
convert
verb
To change into a different form, substance, or state:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُهتدِ الى دين، مُعتَنِق دينا آخريَتَحَّوَلُيُحوِّليَعتَنِق دينا آخر
konvertitaobrátit napřeměnitpřestavětzměnit
konverterekonvertitlave omomdanneomvende
muuntaa
pretvoriti
megtérítmegtért
breyta; vera umbreytanlegurskipta um trútrúskiptingur
変える
…을 (…으로) 변하게 하다
atverčiamasatverstikabrioletaskeičiamaskeičiamumas
atgrieztaisjaunpievērstaiskonvertētpārveidotpārvērst
konvertitaobrátiť
preureditispremenitispreobrniti se
omvända
เปลี่ยน
chuyển đổi
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
convert
[kənˈvɜːrt]
[ˈkɒnvɜːrt] n (= person) → converti(e) m/f
a convert to sth [+ religion, ideology] → un(e) converti(e) à qch
to be a convert to sth → avoir été converti(e) à qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
convert
n (lit, fig) → Bekehrte(r) mf; (to another denomination) → Konvertit m; to become a convert to something (lit, fig) → sich zu etw bekehren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
convert
[n ˈkɒnvɜːt; vb kənˈvɜːt]
1. n → convertito/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
convert
(kənˈvəːt) verb
1. to change from one thing into another. He has converted his house into four separate flats; This sofa converts into a bed.
2. to change from one religion etc to another. He was converted to Christianity.
(ˈkonvəːt) noun
a person who has been converted to a particular religion etc. a convert to Buddhism.
conˈvertible adjective
that may or can be converted. a convertible sofa.
noun
a car with a folding or detachable top.
conˌvertiˈbility noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
convert
→ يَتَحَّوَلُ změnit konvertere umwandeln μετατρέπω convertir muuntaa convertir pretvoriti convertire 変える …을 (…으로) 변하게 하다 converteren omforme przerobić converter трансформировать omvända เปลี่ยน değiştirmek chuyển đổi 转换
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
Other forms: converted; converts; converting
Think of the word convert as meaning «change,» whether it is a person who adopts a new belief, or a changing action, such as when you convert dollars into euros.
Many times we can catch a word’s meaning by looking at its origins. In this case, the Latin con means «around,» while vertere means «turn.» So we can figure that convert means to «turn around,» an object or one’s thoughts on an idea. For example, you might convert a meat eater into a vegetarian or an empty-nester might convert the kids’ bedroom into an exercise room.
Definitions of convert
-
verb
change the nature, purpose, or function of something
“convert lead into gold”
“convert hotels into jails”
“convert slaves to laborers”
see moresee less-
types:
- show 40 types…
- hide 40 types…
-
caramelise, caramelize
convert to caramel
-
rasterize
convert (an image) into pixels
-
humify
convert (plant remains) into humus
-
verbalise, verbalize
convert into a verb
-
sporulate
convert into spores
-
fictionalise, fictionalize, novelise, novelize
convert into the form or the style of a novel
-
deaden
convert (metallic mercury) into a grey powder consisting of minute globules, as by shaking with chalk or fatty oil
-
opalise, opalize
replace or convert into opal
-
receive
convert into sounds or pictures
-
reconvert
convert back
-
malt
convert into malt
-
malt
convert grain into malt
-
feudalize
bring (a country or people) under feudalism
-
flour
convert grain into flour
-
reclaim
make useful again; transform from a useless or uncultivated state
-
ferment, work
cause to undergo fermentation
-
nitrify
convert into nitric acid, nitrous acid, or nitrate, especially with the action of nitrobacteria
-
fossilise, fossilize
convert to a fossil
-
tan
treat skins and hides with tannic acid so as to convert them into leather
-
dress
convert into leather
-
compost
convert to compost
-
transition
cause to convert or undergo a transition
-
transcribe
convert the genetic information in (a strand of DNA) into a strand of RNA, especially messenger RNA
-
scrap
make into scrap or refuse
-
keratinise, keratinize
convert into keratin
-
diazotize
convert (an amine) into a diazo compound
-
hay
convert (plant material) into hay
-
lignify
convert into wood or cause to become woody
-
mineralize
transform (a metal) into an ore
-
mineralize
convert into a mineral substance
-
ozonise, ozonize
convert (oxygen) into ozone
-
slag
convert into slag
-
sulfate
convert into a sulfate
-
cutinize
convert into cutin
-
duplex
change into a duplex
-
encode
convert information into code
-
vinify
convert a juice into wine by fermentation
-
lapidify, petrify
change into stone
-
bark
tan (a skin) with bark tannins
-
cipher, code, cypher, encipher, encrypt, inscribe, write in code
convert ordinary language into code
-
type of:
-
alter, change, modify
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
-
verb
change in nature, purpose, or function; undergo a chemical change
“The substance
converts to an acid” -
verb
change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy
“We
converted from 220 to 110 Volt”-
synonyms:
change over
-
verb
make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something
-
synonyms:
convince, win over
see moresee less-
types:
-
disarm
make less hostile; win over
-
type of:
-
persuade
cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody’s arm
-
disarm
-
verb
cause to adopt a new or different faith
“The missionaries
converted the Indian population” -
verb
change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief
“She
converted to Buddhism”see moresee less-
type of:
-
change
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one’s or its original nature
-
change
-
verb
exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
“Could you
convert my dollars into pounds?”“convert centimeters into inches”
“convert holdings into shares”
-
synonyms:
change, commute, exchange
-
change, shift, switch
lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
-
change, shift, switch
-
verb
exchange a penalty for a less severe one
-
verb
complete successfully
-
verb
score an extra point or points after touchdown by kicking the ball through the uprights or advancing the ball into the end zone
“Smith
converted and his team won”
Definitions of convert
-
noun
a person who has been converted to another religious or political belief
see moresee less-
types:
-
Converso
(medieval Spain and Portugal) a Jew or Moor who professed to convert to Christianity in order to avoid persecution or expulsion
-
proselyte
a new convert, especially to a religion
-
Marrano
(medieval Spain and Portugal) a disparaging term for a Jew who converted to Christianity in order to avoid persecution but continued to practice their religion secretly
-
type of:
-
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul
a human being
-
Converso
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Verb
They tried for two points but could not convert.
They had many chances to score but they couldn’t convert their opportunities.
They had chances to score but couldn’t convert.
Noun
I didn’t think I’d like paying my bills online, but now I’m a convert.
the converts were the most vocal and fervent worshippers in the church
Recent Examples on the Web
In the latest in a series of policies aimed at encouraging San Francisco commercial property owners to convert vacant office buildings to housing, Supervisor Matt Dorsey on Tuesday will introduce a bill that would exempt such conversions from a slew of fees.
—
J.k. Dineen, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2023
On March 14, shareholders voted to allow the parent of AMC Theatres to convert APE units into the company’s common shares.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2023
Another option is to convert existing pretax retirement money into a Roth account, which typically requires paying income taxes on the conversion.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2023
The Hurricanes were to convert just 8 of 23 layup attempts against the Huskies’ frontcourt.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2023
His journey led him later to convert to Judaism and serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
—Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2023
Mayor Eric Adams has moved to convert hotels, office buildings and other structures into temporary housing.
—Stefanos Chen, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Your plan to convert the garage into a home office could be met by a demand from your city to build a new garage or carport to preserve off-street parking spaces.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2023
The Fighting Irish’s starting frontcourt of 6-foot-4 Lauren Ebo, 6-4 Kylee Watson, 6-3 Maddy Westbeld and 6-5 Natalija Marshall off the bench was a problem for Maryland in the first half until the team used a press to convert turnovers into instant offense.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2023
Call us cotton-linen converts from now on.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 28 Mar. 2023
Bates was an instant convert.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023
Early converts to capitalism saw aid to the poor not merely as bad policy but as an existential threat, something that could sever the reliance of workers on owners.
—Matthew Desmond, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2023
Derided early on by the British rock press, Depeche Mode made converts in America, particularly in Southern California, where the band’s champions included Blade, then an influential D.J. at KROQ-FM.
—Alex Pappademas, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2023
The former Alabama All-American appeared as a nutritional convert.
—Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2023
Lifelong Cadillac owners will feel perfectly at home, though potential converts may walk away shaking their heads.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 16 Mar. 2023
On average, customers who participate in Fit Xperience convert at a 4X rate, have 20% higher average order values, purchase 40% higher units per transaction, and sign up for the loyalty program at a 2X rate, versus ones that do not scan with the technology.
—Yola Robert, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2023
Sometimes striving to make converts creates dissidents instead — so Adam Hoffman observes in a recent piece in the New York Times.
—Adam M. Carrington, National Review, 5 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘convert.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
[ verb kuhn-vurt; noun kon-vurt ]
/ verb kənˈvɜrt; noun ˈkɒn vɜrt /
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
verb (used with object)
to change (something) into a different form or properties; transmute; transform.
to cause to adopt a different religion, political doctrine, opinion, etc.: to convert the heathen.
to turn to another or a particular use or purpose; divert from the original or intended use: They converted the study into a nursery for the baby.
to modify (something) so as to serve a different function: to convert an automobile factory to the manufacture of tanks.
to obtain an equivalent value for in an exchange or calculation, as money or units of measurement: to convert bank notes into gold; to convert yards into meters.
Finance. to exchange voluntarily (a bond or preferred stock) into another security, usually common stock, because of the greater value of the latter.
to change in character; cause to turn from an evil life to a righteous one: to convert a criminal.
Chemistry. to cause (a substance) to undergo a chemical change: to convert sugar into alcohol.
to invert or transpose.
Law.
- to assume unlawful rights of ownership of (personal property).
- to change the form of (property), as from realty to personalty or vice versa.
to appropriate wrongfully to one’s own use.
Logic. to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion.
verb (used without object)
noun
one who has been converted, as to a religion or opinion.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of convert
1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb converten, from Latin convertere “to change completely,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vertere “to turn”; noun convert replacing converse, Middle English convers, ultimately from Latin conversus; see also converse2, verse1
synonym study for convert
OTHER WORDS FROM convert
con·ver·tive, adjective
Words nearby convert
conversion, conversion disorder, conversion ratio, conversion table, conversus, convert, converted, converted rice, converted steel, converter, converter reactor
Other definitions for convert (2 of 2)
convert2
[ kon-vurt ]
/ ˈkɒn vɜrt /
noun Informal.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to convert
disciple, follower, apply, download, modify, remodel, reorganize, switch, transform, translate, turn, lead, move, save, catechumen, neophyte, novice, novitiate, proselyte, alter
How to use convert in a sentence
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The medical experts pushing it on TV are often the same few, with little evidence of them winning any converts.
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In winning his converts, Jones had the advantage of quick wit, a superb visual memory, and his civilian training as a lawyer, which had schooled him in “the gentle art of drawing a red herring across my questioners’ train of thought.”
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The SEO track will tackle keywords and copy that convert, content marketing and link building, navigation and CTAs, as well as testing.
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A lot of our content currently converts on social media and we’ve figured out which types of content converts on different platforms, but one area to invest more in is onsite.
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Although she did pull down millions in speaking fees from banks and other corporations, she is a late convert to the cause of aggressive financial regulation.
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There is also “other” and “willing to convert” (more on those categories later).
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Freundel had created the practice dunks because of an experience with a prior convert, according to Mandel.
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This 18-hour trip was in a less nice room, but one that had two seats that convert into a bed.
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Be a good citizen, and heaven awaits; fail to convert and lead a moral life, burn in hell.
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“The two most dangerous types of people are poor who become rich and those who convert to Islam,” observed one man from Snuny.
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It would not take two minutes to convert him from the inquisitor to the martyr at the stake.
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As for poor Dolly, if he catches her and tries to convert her to his ideas, the child has nimble feet and can run.
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Some of the colonists sincerely desired to acquaint and convert the Indians to Christianity.
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The laudable aim of America to convert the Filipino into an American in action and sentiment will probably never be realized.
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Had some dealings with Felix Phellion, whom he tried to convert to his religious belief.
British Dictionary definitions for convert
verb (kənˈvɜːt) (mainly tr)
to change or adapt the form, character, or function of; transform
to cause (someone) to change in opinion, belief, etc
to change (a person or his way of life, etc) for the better
(intr) to admit of being changed (into)the table converts into a tray
(also intr) to change or be changed into another chemical compound or physical stateto convert water into ice
law
- to assume unlawful proprietary rights over (personal property)
- to change (property) from realty into personalty or vice versa
(also intr) rugby to make a conversion after (a try)
logic to transpose the subject and predicate of (a proposition) by conversion
to change (a value or measurement) from one system of units to another
to exchange (a security or bond) for something of equivalent value
noun (ˈkɒnvɜːt)
a person who has been converted to another belief, religion, etc
Derived forms of convert
convertive, adjective
Word Origin for convert
C13: from Old French convertir, from Latin convertere to turn around, alter, transform, from vertere to turn
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
How do we shape new words? The different processes of words coming into existence to mean something specific are called word formation processes. The phrase from the first sentence contains an example of a special type of word formation process known as conversion. The word shape involves this conversion process; where shape was once only a noun—the form of something, such as a circle—now it can also be a verb—to mold or construct something.
Fig. 1 — It’s possible to shape words into something new through the conversion process in English language.
Conversion Definition
The official definition of linguistic conversion is as follows:
A type of word formation process in which a word is assigned to a new word class or part of speech without any change in form.
The pivotal element in the conversion process is meaning. A word that undergoes no structural change but changes grammatical categories (and therefore meaning, to a degree) has undergone conversion.
A grammatical category is a unit of grammar such as noun, verb, or adjective that share common features and function the same way in speech and writing.
In the example of the word(s) shape, the word changed from a noun, to express the form of something, to a verb that expresses how something takes form. There is a slight change in meaning as the words function differently in speech, but not so drastic a change that the words are no longer related.
Conversion: Zero Derivation
This process of conversion is also called zero derivation or null derivation.
In linguistics, derivation is the process of creating a new word from an existing word by altering it in some way, most often by adding an affix. The phrases zero or null derivation both indicate the necessity for the process of conversion to not alter the structure of the word—zero derivation in formation.
Conversion is also sometimes called functional shift because the change is in the function of the word, not necessarily the meaning. Here is an example of two words that are not related by conversion:
Plane (noun) – an aircraft
To Plane (verb) – to smooth a wooden surface
These two words sound the same, but their meanings are not even close to being similar. This is not an example of conversion.
Examples of Conversion Words
Here are some examples of true conversion words. Some begin as verbs and convert to nouns, while others work in the reverse order.
1. Host (noun) – a person who receives or entertains another
To host (verb) – the act of receiving or entertaining another
2. To hope (verb) – the act of trusting or expecting something to happen
Hope (noun) – the feeling of trust or expectation that something will happen
3. Microwave (noun) – a home appliance that uses electromagnetic waves to infuse heat into objects
To microwave (verb) – to cook or warm food (or other objects) via a microwave appliance
4. Eye (noun) – an organ needed for sight
To eye (verb) – to view someone or something closely or with suspicion
Conversion Process in English
English is an ever-evolving language. According to Global Language Monitor1, a new word is created every 98 minutes. Conversions are responsible for giving new meaning to existing words, and the conversion process in English is more commonplace in the twenty-first-century lexicon than ever before.
The pace of communication continues to increase for English speakers as technology drives our correspondence. Mobile communication has a sense of urgency—a need or desire to be understood in fewer and fewer words and more unique ways. As a result, conversion has become a more legitimate and common way to create new words. Consider the verb “to Google.” Google used to simply be the name of a search engine; now, the word is synonymous with searching for something on the internet.
Fig. 1 — Google has changed from simply the name of a company to a verb in the English lexicon—an example of conversion.
Consider, for example, the word ghost. Traditionally, it’s a noun that means the spirit of a dead person. Through the conversion process, people have taken the meaning of the word ghost and turned it into a verb to express the act of ignoring someone’s attempts to communicate, usually digitally via text or messaging—disappearing like a ghost.
As a reminder, homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and may be spelled differently. Remember the plane vs. plane example?
Linguistic conversion does not create the same results as words that are homophones. The noun ghost (a spooky apparition) and verb ghost (to ignore someone) are related in meaning—they both have to do with a person apparently disappearing. These are not merely homophones; they have undergone the process of conversion.
Ghost, the spooky apparition, is not literally synonymous with the term to ghost or ignore. Although they’re based on the same idea or basic meaning, there is a slight difference in meaning due to the change in grammatical class (i.e., noun to verb) and the context in which people use each.
Types of Conversion in English
There are a few different types of conversion in English. The process typically involves a noun and a verb, but these are not the only options for conversion.
Noun to Verb (Verbification)
The most common form of conversion in English is noun to verb; meaning, most instances of conversion are noun to verb (also called verbification).
An exchange in the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (1993) written by Bill Watterson explains the art of verbification (or verbing).
Calvin: I like to verb words.
Hobbes: What?
Calvin: I take nouns and adjectives and use them as verbs. Remember when “access” was a thing? Now it’s something you do. It got verbed. Verbing weirds language.
The last phrase, “Verbing weirds language” is an example of taking an adjective (weird) and using it as a verb.
Verb to Noun
A less common form of conversion than verbification is the transition from verb to noun is still widely used.
The following sentence from The Art of War (5th century BC), written by Sun Tzu, contains an example of a verb used as a noun.
You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. (Chapter 6)
In this example, the word attack is used first as a noun and then as a verb. The word attack began in the English language as a verb but, as seen here, can also be a noun.
Other Conversions
Conversions involving other parts of speech besides verbs and nouns are less common but follow the same concept.
Adjectives can become nouns:
Green (adjective) – a color
Green (noun) – a space of grass near the hole in golf
Adverbs can become nouns:
Up (adverb) – direction or position
Up (noun) – an upward trend in outlook or luck (e.g., “The ups and downs of life”)
Conversion — Key takeaways
- Conversion is a type of word formation process in which a word is assigned to a new word class or part of speech without any change in form.
- Conversion does not produce the same result as homophones.
- Conversion typically involves verbs and nouns but might also involve other parts of speech.
- The meaning of the word is essentially preserved through conversion.
- The conversion process in English is more commonplace in the twenty-first-century lexicon than ever before.
1 Numbers of Words in the English Language. Global Language Monitor. 2020.