convince

/kənˈvɪns/

//kənˈvɪns// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"convince" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“convince” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,592. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,592
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence.

Corpus desk

Index EN-convince · convince · English

convince · rank #4,592 · 12 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,592
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH controversy

Nearest frequency peer: controversy (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “convince”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “convince” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

convince vs convinced
89% similar
convince vs convinces
89% similar
convince vs convict
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for convince
PropertyValue
Headwordconvince
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈvɪns/
Letters8
Frequency rank#4,592
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “convince”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).convincelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “controversy” (#4,591), “Cooper” (#4,593), “conspiracy” (#4,590). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “convince” is #4,592. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around convince (IPA /kənˈvɪns/), averb. Corpus frequency is #4,592 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for convince, with forms such as "cconvince", "cnovince", and "conivnce". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "convinced", "convinces", "convict", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin convincō (“I refute, prove”), from con- + vincō (“I conquer, vanquish”). Doublet of convict. Displaced native Old English oferreċċan. The correct English form is convince, spelled C-O-N-V-I-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence.
  2. 2
    To persuade.
  3. 3
    To overcome, conquer, vanquish.
  4. 4
    To behave believably in a role; to make someone perceive oneself as the character being portrayed.
  5. 5
    To confute; to prove wrong.
  6. 6
    To prove guilty; to convict.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how convince appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I wouldn't have or do something, unless I'm convinced that it's good.
  2. Such convincing proofs and assurances of it as might enable them to convince others.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin convincō (“I refute, prove”), from con- + vincō (“I conquer, vanquish”). Doublet of convict. Displaced native Old English oferreċċan.

This word in other languages

convencer(Español)convaincre(Français)überzeugen(Deutsch)convencer(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cconvince
  • cnovince
  • conivnce
  • connvince
  • convicne
  • convincce
  • convinec
  • convinnce
  • convnice
  • convvince
  • covnince
  • ocnvince

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of convince - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cconvince1cnovince2conivnce2connvince1convicne2convincce1convinec2convinnce1
Edit distance from "convince"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "convince"?
"convince" is spelled C-O-N-V-I-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈvɪns/.
What does "convince" mean?
As a verb, "convince" means: To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence.
What words are commonly confused with "convince"?
"convince" is commonly confused with "convinced", "convinces", "convict". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "convince"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "convince" is /kənˈvɪns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "convince"?
Borrowed from Latin convincō (“I refute, prove”), from con- + vincō (“I conquer, vanquish”). Doublet of convict. Displaced native Old English oferreċċan. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "convince", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

equality#4,597choosing#4,583guardian#4,605homeless#4,607

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

classical12 variantswherever12 variantstreating12 variantsremoving12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list