Convinced

Convinced is both the past participle of the verb convince and an adjective describing a state of being persuaded or holding a firm belief. As a verb, convince means to cause someone to believe something or to persuade them to take a course of action. The forms convinced (past) and convincing (present participle) appear in standard tenses and constructions.

As an adjective, convinced describes a person who has been persuaded or who strongly believes something. It is typically followed by a clause, as in I am convinced that this plan will work, or by a prepositional phrase, such as convinced of his innocence or convinced by the argument. The phrase to be convinced to do something is also used, though more common is to say someone has been persuaded to do it.

Usage notes often distinguish convinced from related verbs. Convince focuses on causing belief or action; persuade emphasizes the process of changing someone’s mind. Convinced can express certainty or confidence in a proposition, a conclusion, or a course of action.

Etymology traces convincing back to Latin convincere, meaning to overcome or conquer, via Old French convaincre. The word entered English in the medieval period and has since developed a broad range of applications in both thought and discourse.

Convinced appears in formal and informal contexts, from legal and academic writing to everyday conversation. It remains a concise way to signal belief, certainty, or a decision reached through argument or evidence.