Definitions
- Referring to a person who has been found guilty of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment or other punishment. - Talking about the act of finding someone guilty of a crime in a court of law. - Describing the status of a person who has been convicted of a crime, such as a convicted felon.
- Referring to a person who has committed a crime, regardless of whether they have been caught or punished. - Talking about the act of committing a crime, such as theft, murder, or fraud. - Describing something related to or involved in criminal activity, such as a criminal organization or a criminal investigation.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words are related to illegal activity and wrongdoing.
- 2Both words can be used to describe people who have committed crimes.
- 3Both words are often associated with negative connotations.
- 4Both words are commonly used in legal contexts and law enforcement.
What is the difference?
- 1Definition: Convict specifically refers to a person who has been found guilty of a crime and sentenced, while criminal can refer to anyone who has committed a crime, regardless of whether they have been caught or punished.
- 2Usage: Convict is typically used as a noun to describe a person who has been convicted of a crime, while criminal can be used as both a noun and an adjective to describe the act of committing a crime or anything related to criminal activity.
- 3Legal context: Convict is often used in legal contexts to describe a person's status after being found guilty of a crime, while criminal is more commonly used in law enforcement and criminology to describe the study of criminal behavior and activity.
- 4Severity: Convict implies a more serious level of wrongdoing, as it specifically refers to someone who has been found guilty and sentenced for a crime, while criminal can refer to any level of illegal activity, from minor offenses to serious crimes.
- 5Connotation: Convict has a more negative connotation, as it specifically refers to someone who has been punished for a crime, while criminal can also be used in neutral or even positive contexts, such as in the phrase 'criminal justice reform.'
Remember this!
Convict and criminal are both related to illegal activity and wrongdoing, but they have distinct differences. Convict specifically refers to a person who has been found guilty of a crime and sentenced, while criminal can refer to anyone who has committed a crime, regardless of whether they have been caught or punished. Additionally, convict is typically used in legal contexts to describe a person's status after being found guilty, while criminal is more commonly used in law enforcement and criminology to describe the study of criminal behavior and activity.
