convene

verb

con·​vene kən-ˈvēn 

convened; convening

intransitive verb

: to come together in a body

We convened at the hotel for a seminar.

transitive verb

1

: to summon before a tribunal

2

: to cause to assemble

A world council was convened in Paris.

convener noun

or convenor

kən-ˈvē-nər 

Synonyms

• assemble
• call
• convoke
• muster
• summon

Choose the Right Synonym for convene

summon, call, cite, convoke, convene, muster mean to demand the presence of.

summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole.

mustered the troops

Examples of convene in a Sentence

We convened at the hotel for a seminar.

This class convenes twice a week.

A panel of investigators was convened by the president to review the case.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Material Buyers Club is a group of large purchasers convened by the Green Science Policy Institute. —Arlene Blum, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025

The move-in was cemented Thursday and Friday afternoon with SANDAG’s Shoreline Preservation Working Group and Transportation Committee convening for the first-ever public meetings in the new space. —Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025

California took an important step toward responsible AI governance recently when a panel of leading AI experts—convened by Governor —released a comprehensive for AI policy in the state. —Mike Kubzansky, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025

Roughly 230 million years ago, a group of alligator-sized amphibians convened on a floodplain in what is now west-central Wyoming. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin convenire, from Latin, to assemble — more at convenient

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for convene

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

convene

verb

con·​vene kən-ˈvēn 

convened; convening

1

: to come together in a group : assemble

2

: to cause to convene : call together

convened a meeting