Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause people to come together formally; to summon or call together for a meeting or assembly.
   • To arrange for a formal meeting to take place.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To come together or assemble, especially for a formal or official purpose.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive verb (to call together):

  • The chairperson has the authority to convene the committee at any time.
  • The president convened an emergency meeting of his advisors.

• Intransitive verb (to meet formally):

  • The board of trustees will convene next Tuesday to vote on the proposal.
  • The court convenes promptly at 9 a.m. every day.

Advanced Usage

• "To convene a conference/council/session": To formally bring a specific group or body together.

  • The United Nations convened a special session to address the crisis.

• "Convened by": Used to indicate the person or authority who called the meeting.

  • The summit was convened by the Secretary-General.

Variants and Related Words

• Convener (noun): A person who convenes a meeting.

  • She acted as the convener for the annual symposium.

• Convention (noun): A large formal meeting or assembly, often of a professional or political group.

  • The political party held its national convention.

• Convening (gerund/noun): The act of calling together a meeting.

  • The convening of the council was announced yesterday.

Synonyms

• Assemble: To bring together or come together as a group.
• Summon: To authoritatively call people to attend, especially for a specific purpose.
• Gather: To come together; to bring people or things together.

Antonyms

• Adjourn: To suspend a meeting with the intention of resuming later.
• Disperse: To break up and cause to go in different directions.
• Dissolve: To formally bring to an end (e.g., an assembly).

Related Phrases

• To be convened: Passive form indicating a meeting was called.

  • A panel of experts was convened to review the findings.

• Right to convene: The official power or authority to call a meeting.

  • The constitution grants the speaker the right to convene the parliament.

Verb

1. call together
   • The students were convened in the auditorium
2. meet formally
   • The council convened last week