invest

1 of 2

verb (1)

in·​vest in-ˈvest 

invested; investing; invests

transitive verb

1

: to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return

2

: to make use of for future benefits or advantages

invested her time wisely

3

: to involve or engage especially emotionally

were deeply invested in their children's lives

intransitive verb

: to make an investment

investable

in-ˈve-stə-bəl 

adjective

investor

in-ˈve-stər 

noun

invest

2 of 2

verb (2)

invested; investing; invests

transitive verb

1

[Medieval Latin investire, from Latin, to clothe]

a

: to array in the symbols of office or honor

b

: to furnish with power or authority

c

: to grant someone control or authority over : vest

2

: to endow with a quality : infuse

3

: to cover completely : envelop

4

: clothe, adorn

5

[Middle French investir, from Old Italian investire, from Latin, to surround] : to surround with troops or ships so as to prevent escape or entry

Synonyms

Verb (2)

• endue
• indue
• imbue
• inculcate
• infuse
• ingrain
• engrain
• inoculate
• steep
• suffuse

Examples of invest in a Sentence

Verb (2)

invested the film with his own enthusiasm for the wonders of flight

a woman invested with the strong desire to make the world a better place

invested him with power of attorney

a fashion designer who has invested a number of the winners of the best actress award

the beloved actor was finally invested as a knight by the queen

the city was mercilessly invested for an entire year, but never fell

nightfall invested the land

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The challenge for leaders is to invest effectively in order to stay relevant and ahead of the game. —Aidan Connolly, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

While Max has built its reputation on premium international content, Gibbons acknowledged the need to invest more heavily in local productions to expand the addressable market. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 June 2025

Tens of thousands of people who had invested their savings in the bank lost money, prompting rare protests in the communist nation. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 June 2025

Some of the industry’s biggest players have invested serious capital and manpower into doing so; Flexport has promised a major technology release twice annually, and companies like DHL have inked robotics partnerships aimed at creating the warehouse or fulfillment center of the future. —Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Italian investire to clothe, invest money, from Latin, to clothe

Verb (2)

Latin investire to clothe, surround, from in- + vestis garment — more at wear

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing invest

• co-invest
• invest as
• invest in

Rhymes for invest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

invest

1 of 2 verb

in·​vest in-ˈvest 

1

a

: install sense 1

b

: to furnish with power or authority

2

: to cover completely

3

: clothe sense 1a, adorn

4

: to surround with troops or ships : besiege

5

: to supply with a quality or characteristic

invest

2 of 2 verb

1

: to lay out money so as to return a profit

invest in bonds and real estate

2

: to expend for future benefits or advantages

invest time and effort in a project

3

: to involve or engage especially emotionally

were deeply invested in their children's lives

investor

-ˈves-tər 

noun

Medical Definition

invest

transitive verb

in·​vest in-ˈvest 

1

: to envelop or cover completely

the pleura invests the lung

2

: to endow with a quality or characteristic

the paranoid personality who invests the external world with his … ideas and feelings

—Structure & Meaning of Psychoanalysis

Legal Definition

invest

1 of 2 transitive verb

in·​vest in-ˈvest 

1

: to install in an office or position

2

a

: to furnish with or formally grant power or authority

b

: to grant someone control or authority over : vest

invest

2 of 2 verb

transitive verb

1

: to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return

2

: to make use of for future benefits or advantages

intransitive verb

: to commit funds or purchase something of intrinsic value for future gain : make an investment

—often used with in

investor noun

Etymology

Transitive verb

Medieval Latin investire, from Latin, to clothe, from in- in + vestis garment

Verb

Italian investire to clothe, invest money, from Latin, to clothe