involve

verb

in·​volve in-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv,

 also  -ˈväv,

 or  -ˈvȯv

involved; involving

transitive verb

1

a

: to engage as a participant

workers involved in building a house

b

: to oblige to take part

right of Congress to involve the nation in war

c

: to occupy (someone, such as oneself) absorbingly

especially : to commit (someone) emotionally

was involved with a married man

2

a

: to have within or as part of itself : include

b

: to require as a necessary accompaniment : entail

c

: affect entry 1

the cancer involved the lymph nodes

3

: to relate closely : connect

4

: to surround as if with a wrapping : envelop

5

archaic : to enfold or envelop so as to encumber

6

archaic : to wind, coil, or wreathe about

involver noun

Synonyms

• affect
• concern
• touch

Choose the Right Synonym for involve

include, comprehend, embrace, involve mean to contain within as part of the whole.

include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole.

the price of dinner includes dessert

comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition.

his system comprehends all history

embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole.

her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs

involve suggests inclusion by virtue of the nature of the whole, whether by being its natural or inevitable consequence.

the new job involves a lot of detail

Examples of involve in a Sentence

He told us a story involving life on a farm.

She remained involved with the organization for many years.

Renovating the house involved hiring a contractor.

The disease continued to spread until it involved the entire jaw.

Recent Examples on the Web

Not everyone is able to take the risks involved in making underground films. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 5 May 2025

Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal; Erin Jensen, USA TODAY Gambling involves risk. —Jay Stahl, USA Today, 4 May 2025

There are excellent actors involved in these shifts in focus, like Wright or Kaitlyn Dever, but these scenes are so brief and intermittent that all these new characters (or previously minor ones like Tommy) feel so much flimsier and less essential to this point than Ellie — and, now, Dina. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2025

Debt settlement involves negotiating with creditors to accept less than what they’re owed. —Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English envolven, involven "to cloud (with obscurities), envelop (in darkness, vice), encumber, surround," borrowed from Latin involvere "to move by rolling, roll back on itself, enclose in a covering, wrap up" (Medieval Latin, "to envelop [in tears, shadows], engage in an affair or occupation, implicate, ensnare"), from in- in- entry 2 + volvere "to set in a circular course, cause to roll, bring round" — more at wallow entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing involve

• involve oneself in

Rhymes for involve

• absolve
• devolve
• dissolve
• evolve
• resolve
• revolve
• solve

Kids Definition

involve

verb

in·​volve in-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv

involved; involving

1

: to take part in as a participant

involved in bird watching

2

: to occupy absorbingly

so involved in the book, she didn't hear the doorbell

3

: to have within or as a part of itself : include

one problem involves others

4

: to call for : require

the job involved building 10 bridges

5

: to have an effect on : affect

the renovations involved the whole school

involvement

-mənt 

noun

involver noun

Medical Definition

involve

transitive verb

in·​volve

in-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv also -ˈväv or -ˈvȯv

involved; involving

: to affect with a disease or condition : include in an area of damage, trauma, or insult

all the bones of the skull were involved in the proliferative process

herpes involved the trigeminal nerve

severely involved patients were isolated

lacerations involved the muscles