The Meaning of Convey: What It Is and How To Use It

Have you ever been confused by the definition of convey? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word convey, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

Your writing, at its best

Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant

What does the word convey mean?

According to The Free Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary Fifth Edition, Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language 12th edition, the word convey is a verb that means to take, carry, transport, communicate, conduct, transmit, or transfer. This word can be used in a variety of literal and figurative ways, such as how sound carries over water and airwaves,  how metals conduct heat, and more. Different suffixes can be added to the end of the word convey to form different tenses like the past participle in the rules of English grammar. The word convey is two syllables – con-vey, and the pronunciation of convey is kənˈveɪ.

Many other languages also contain words that mean convey. You may notice that many of these words look similar and sound similar to one another. This is likely because they are of a common origin. Often, words with a similar origin will be cognates for each other. This list of translations for the word convey is provided by Word Sense and could be found on Wordnet.

  •  Maori: whakawhiti‎
  •  Hebrew: הוביל‎ (hovíl); העביר‎ (he’evír)
  •  Belarusian: (around, by vehicle) абво́зіць‎ (impf), абве́зці‎ (pf)
  •  Russian: переноси́ть‎ (impf), перенести́‎ (pf), (on a vehicle) перевози́ть‎ (impf), перевезти́‎ (pf), транспорти́ровать‎ (impf) (pf)
  •  Japanese: 運ぶ‎ (はこぶ, hakobu), 運搬する‎ (うんぱんする, unpan-suru)
  •  Turkish: aktarmak‎
  •  Romanian: transporta‎, căra‎
  •  French: transporter‎
  •  Mandarin: 傳遞‎, 传递‎ (chuándì), 輸送‎, 输送‎ (shūsòng)
  •  German: befördern‎
  •  Polish: przewieźć‎, przewozić‎
  •  Portuguese: transportar‎
  •  Dutch: overdragen‎
  •  Italian: trasportare‎
  •  Finnish: välittää‎, kuljettaa‎
  •  Arabic: نَقَلَ‎
  •  Czech: dopravit‎, přepravit‎
  •  Bulgarian: нося‎ (nosja), пренасям‎ (prenásjam), превозвам‎ (prevozvam)
  •  Hungarian: szállít‎
  •  Spanish: transportar‎, trasladar‎
  •  Swedish: transportera‎
  •  Irish: iompair‎
  •  Georgian: გადატანა‎, გადაყვანა‎

What is the word origin of convey?

According to Etymonline, the word convey (kənˈvei) has been used since the C13 Middle English. This comes from the Old French conveier and Anglo-French conveier, which is the Modern French convoyer. These French words come from the Vulgar Latin convio, Medieval Latin conviāre, and Latin com. Related words include conveyor, conveyed and conveying. This word comes from wegh in Indo-European roots.

What are synonyms and antonyms of convey?

There are many different words that one can use in place of the word convey. These are considered synonyms, which are words that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Synonyms are useful to know if you are trying to avoid repeating yourself or if you are looking to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word convey is provided by Power Thesaurus, and could also be found in Collins Thesaurus of the English Language. 

  •  transmit
  •  evince
  •  cede
  •  couch
  •  pass on
  •  articulate
  •  give
  •  broadcast
  •  exhibit
  •  intimate
  •  bring
  •  bespeak
  •  indicate
  •  put into words
  •  lug
  •  bringing
  •  symbolize
  •  move
  •  communicate
  •  signify
  •  waft
  •  relay
  •  shift
  •  denote
  •  phrase
  •  transports
  •  canalize
  •  relate
  •  assign
  •  suggest
  •  put across
  •  proclaim
  •  divulge
  •  submit
  •  ship
  •  fetch
  •  siphon
  •  pass
  •  mean
  •  cart
  •  project
  •  interact
  •  channel
  •  direct
  •  speak
  •  send
  •  imply
  •  expresses
  •  turn over
  •  ferry
  •  formulate
  •  disclose
  •  make known
  •  express
  •  forward
  •  conduct
  •  funnel
  •  bear
  •  escort
  •  verbalize
  •  lead
  •  deliver
  •  accompany
  •  recount
  •  utter
  •  show
  •  consign
  •  haul
  •  manifest
  •  communicating
  •  channeling
  •  take
  •  transmitted
  •  dispatch
  •  address
  •  report
  •  transport
  •  betoken
  •  carry
  •  alienate
  •  transfer
  •  reveal
  •  impart
  •  hand down
  •  route
  •  guide
  •  provide
  •  voice
  •  imparting
  •  make over
  •  tote
  •  betray
  •  tell
  •  get across
  •  transmitting
  •  present
  •  spread
  •  transmits
  •  state
  •  disseminate

There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning as the word convey. These opposite words are considered antonyms. Antonyms are also very useful to know if you want to expand your vocabulary and knowledge of the English language. This list of antonyms for the word convey is also provided by Power Thesaurus, and could be found in Roget’s Thesaurus. 

  •  dark
  •  dreary
  •  as black as pitch
  •  as black as coal
  •  dimmed
  •  dim
  •  beg
  •  black as the ace of spades
  •  gloomy
  •  as black as the ace of spades
  •  abandon
  •  black as midnight
  •  muddle
  •  gray
  •  black as a dog’s guts
  •  disregard
  •  ignore
  •  darkish
  •  acquire
  •  avoid
  •  black as pitch
  •  belt up
  •  murky
  •  breed
  •  as dark as night
  •  darkened
  •  admit
  •  accept
  •  as black as midnight
  •  withhold
  •  black
  •  maintain
  •  obscure
  •  as black as a dog’s guts
  •  leave
  •  neglect
  •  black as coal
  •  bury
  •  forget
  •  beg for
  •  dulled
  •  dark as night
  •  appropriate for
  •  as black as night
  •  dusky
  •  dull
  •  black as night
  •  keep track of
  •  cloudy
  •  disinfect

How can the word convey be used in a sentence?

The professor tried to convey the main point of the five-point scale he would be grading the projects on, but his gift was in math, not teaching. This was no secret that teaching skills were one of many common areas of need for the higher level professors, which needed to be learned as a new skill. 

The boss conveyed local information on the storm to the local communities, and suggested everyone pause their daily routines to stay safe. This was to guarantee there would be no major impact on people’s lives.

The singer conveyed a lot of anger when the wrong type of limousine picked him up at the airport near Princeton University. He also did not receive the chocolates he requested, which set him off.

The woman tried to convey that she wanted practical Valentine’s Day gifts, but her partner with a warped sense of local reality did not listen and instead bought her a painting of Mary Carries and a popular-science magazine. 

The Russians conveyed the danger of nuclear waste to the rest of the world after the Chernobyl incident.

The smoke from the chimney conveyed the fire that was burning inside the building. The person who had ownership of the company was out on assignment, and their bargain insurance did not cover the cost.

The environmentalist conveyed in simple terms how people could create less waste. Buy used suitcases and camping gear, turn off the sink when brushing so you don’t waste water, and opt for eBook formats over a paperback.

The nextdoor neighbor conveyed that they valued their privacy, and put their new neighbors in a category of enemies. 

Overall, the word convey (vb., k​​ən-vā) means to show or communicate by transmission. This word is French and Latin in origin. 

Sources:

  1. convey: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  2. Convey synonyms – 2 516 Words and Phrases for Convey | Power Thesaurus 
  3. convey | Origin and meaning of convey | Online Etymology Dictionary 
  4. Convey antonyms – 292 Opposites of Convey | Power Thesaurus