invest

verb in·vest \ in-ˈvest \

|Updated on: 10 Jul 2018

invested; investing; invests

transitive verb

[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 cover completely : envelop

3 : clothe, adorn

[Middle French investir, from Old Italian investire, from Latin, to surround]

: to surround with troops or ships so as to prevent escape or entry

5 : to endow with a quality : infuse

Recent Examples of invest from the Web

Blair was invested, buying in-flight WiFi to keep her followers updated.

— kelli stacy, courant.com, "Former UConn Soccer Player Euan Holden Part Of Viral Twitter Thread About In-Flight Romance," 6 July 2018
For those who were particularly invested in their role, research suggests that rates of caregiver depression may rise, not fall, after caregiving ends.

— barry j. jacobs, sandiegouniontribune.com, "What to do when caregiving finally ends," 6 July 2018
He was invested in the Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle in 2008, which involves an annual June march down from the castle and a carriage ride back up the hill.

— simon perry, PEOPLE.com, "Prince William Confidently Pulls Off Ostrich Feather Hat for Annual Knights Service in Scotland," 6 July 2018
Poeltl really felt Casey was really committed and cared about his development as a player and that is really important for a young player to feel that a coach is invested in you.

— vince ellis, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey 'never put us down,' says Raptors PG," 6 July 2018
No knock to brands out there, but people aren’t truly invested in inclusivity.

— lindsay peoples, The Cut, "Meet the Entrepreneur Making Lipstick for Working Women," 3 July 2018
That stated, Florida’s leaders will also need to look at improving the efficiency of delivering transportation projects so that dollars that are invested are spent wisely and delivered concurrently with demand.

— miamiherald, "Leigh-Ann Buchanan," 30 June 2018
About 1 to 2 percent of his total portfolio is invested in cars on Rally Rd.

— Fortune, "Can't Afford a Ferrari? How About Buying a Share for $80," 29 June 2018
This is a person who is fully invested in the city and in the organization.

— rick bonnell, charlotteobserver, "Q&A: New coach James Borrego on his vision for Hornets, what's impressed him so far.," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'invest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of invest

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1534

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

invest

verb

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

play \in-ˈve-stə-bəl\ adjective

—

investor

play \in-ˈve-stər\ noun

Origin and Etymology of invest

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1613

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

Financial Definition of INVEST

invest

verb

What It Is

Investing is the strategic purchase or sale of assets in order to produce income or capital gains.

How It Works

Investing can involve the purchase or sale of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, interest-bearing accounts, land, derivatives, real estate, artwork, old comic books, jewelry or anything else an investor believes will produce income (usually in the form of interest or rents) or become worth more.

Why It Matters

The safety of the principal is of concern in any investing activity, although some investors are more risk tolerant than others and are thus more willing to lose some of their principal in return for the chance of generating a higher profit. The investor's ability to tolerate risk and the incremental return associated with increasing amounts of risk are two primary factors that distinguish types of investing and help determine appropriate investments for a given investor.

Source: Investing Answers