Convene
/kənˈviːn/
verbB2
Definition
Convene means to call or come together in a group, often for a meeting or event. It usually happens when people meet to talk about important matters, make decisions, or share information. This word is often used in formal or official contexts.
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⚡ See It in Action
To bring people together for a meeting
- •The committee will convene tomorrow to discuss the new policy.
- •The board convened an emergency meeting after the crisis.
- •The council convenes every month to review progress.
To come together as a group
- •All members convened in the conference hall before the presentation.
- •The delegates convened at the summit to negotiate agreements.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'convene' like 'meet' (A1 word), but more formal and planned, not just casual or random
- ✓Picture a group of people walking into a room to start an important meeting, like a council or a committee
- ✓It's the feeling of gathering with others to discuss something serious or important, like in school or work
- ✓Sounds like 'con-VEEN' → imagine a team coming together to 'win' by working as one
- ✓Think of a judge calling a court session or a president calling a meeting of leaders — that is convening
- ✓NOT like 'gather' (which can be informal and casual), 'convene' is official and organized
- ✓NOT like 'assemble' (which can mean just putting things together), 'convene' focuses on people coming together to meet or discuss
- ✓NOT like 'meet' (which can be informal or accidental), 'convene' is planned and purposeful
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Assemble: to come or bring together (Use when focusing on the physical act of gathering, less formal)
- •Gather: to bring people together informally (Use when the meeting is casual or social, not official)
- •Call together: to ask people to meet (Use when emphasizing the action of inviting or ordering a meeting)
- •Summon: to officially order someone to come (Use in very formal or legal contexts)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Prefix 'con-' means 'together' or 'with'
- •Root 'vene' comes from Latin 'venire,' meaning 'to come'
- •Origin: From Latin 'convenire,' meaning 'to come together'
- •First used in English in the 15th century, mostly in formal or legal contexts
- •Today, used mainly to describe formal meetings or official gatherings
💭 Reflect & Connect
•In what situations do you think it is important to convene people instead of just meeting casually?
•How does the idea of convening help us understand the importance of planning and organization in group work?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The manager decided to convene the team ___ an urgent discussion about the project delays.
2.When the crisis happened, the leaders convened ___ to find a quick solution.
3.Unlike casual meetings, to convene usually means the gathering is ___ and has a clear purpose.
4.The school principal will convene all teachers ___ the staff room for an important announcement.
5.To convene a meeting, someone must first ___ the participants to come together.
6.After the conference, all delegates convened ___ the main hall to share their ideas.
7.If people just meet by chance, we say they met, but if they convene, it means the meeting was ___ planned.