3 syllables: con, vic, tions. Stress on vic.
/kəˈnvɪkʃənz/
convictions is pronounced /kəˈnvɪkʃənz/. It has three syllables (con-vic-tions), with the stress on "vic". Convictions are firmly held beliefs or opinions, especially those strongly held in opposition to evidence or outside opinion. The term also refers to formal findings of guilt in a court of law. In everyday use, it conveys a powerful, deeply rooted stance or certainty about a matter.
Say it backConvictions are firmly held beliefs or opinions, especially those strongly held in opposition to evidence or outside opinion. The term also refers to formal findings of guilt in a court of law. In everyday use, it conveys a powerful, deeply rooted stance or certainty about a matter.
"Her strong convictions about justice guided her career choices."
"The defendant’s convictions were challenged by new evidence presented in court."
"He spoke with conviction, leaving little doubt about his stance."
Pronounced kon-VIK-shuhnz with stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /kənˈvɪk.ʃənz/. Start with a weak schwa in the first syllable, then a clear VIK in the second, followed by shənz as a light, unstressed ending. Tip: keep the /v/ voiced, and the /ɪ/ as a short, checked vowel before /k/; end with /ənz/ with a soft nasal + z. Listen to native speech and mirror the rhythm: da-DA-VIK-tionz.
Two frequent errors: 1) Stress wrong: saying con-VIC-tions or CON-vic-tions; correct is kon-ˈvɪk-ʃənz with primary stress on the second syllable. 2) Vowel quality: using a lax or long /ɪ/ or mispronouncing /k/ as /t/ in fast speech; ensure the /k/ is a hard, velar stop before /ʃ/; maintain a short /ɪ/ rather than a full to-syllable vowel. Practice with slow pronunciation and then speed up while maintaining the second-syllable emphasis.
In US, UK, and AU, the primary differences are the vowel in the first unstressed syllable (schwa) and the quality of the /ɪ/ in the second syllable. US and UK share /kənˈvɪk.ʃənz/, with rhoticity affecting preceding r-like sounds before vowels in some connected speech. AU tends to be more non-rhotic and may reduce vowels slightly more, with a softer /ə/ in the first syllable and a more centralized /ɪ/ in /ˈvɪk/. Overall, stress remains on the second syllable across regions.
Two main challenges: 1) The second syllable carries primary stress, which can surprise learners who expect a quatrain-like rhythm. 2) The sequence /-vɪk-ʃənz/ requires precise tongue position: a voiced /v/ followed by a short /ɪ/, then a hard /k/ before /ʃ/ and a voiced, plural /-ənz/. Rapid speech can blur /ˈvɪk.ʃənz/ into /ˈvɪkʃənz/ or /vɪk.tʃənz/. Slow, deliberate practice clarifies each segment.
Yes. The final -tions cluster is typically realized as /-tʃənz/ in fluent speech. The 'n' before the /z/ is present but often lightly syllabic, depending on speed. The sequence is /-ʃənz/, with the velar /k/ preceding the /ʃ/. You’ll hear a short, clean /ən/ before the plural /z/. In careful speech, you can segment it as /-tɪənz/ by some speakers, but standard pronunciation is /-tʃənz/.
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Conviction comes from the Latin convictio, meaning 'a proving, proof, or declaration of guilt,' from convivere ‘to conquer completely, convict,’ with the form later adopted into Old French as conviction. In English, the sense expanded from legal guilt (a conviction in court) to a broader metaphorical meaning: a firm belief or opinion. The plural form convictions arises from the Latin plural -iones, but English adapted it to English plural -ions. The earliest attestations in English trace to the late Middle English period, where legal language and moral discourse overlapped, allowing conviction to refer both to a judicial finding and to settled belief. Over centuries, the word shifted more toward abstract, internal belief, with legal usage remaining as a precise technical sense. Modern usage often relies on context to distinguish between moral certainty (personal conviction) and legal certification (a court conviction). First known use in English appears in the 15th century, with legal texts referencing ‘a conviction’ as a finding of guilt, and later as a figurative strong belief in societal and personal discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "convictions"
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