Synonyms of involve

involve

verb

in-ˈvälv 

1

as in to affect

to be the business or affair of

this isn't something that involves you, so don't worry about it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• affect
• concern
• touch
• apply (to)
• relate (to)
• bear (on)
• refer (to)
• implicate
• pertain (to)
• appertain (to)
• embroil
• ensnare
• entangle

2

as in to include

to have as part of a whole

a tragic play usually involves a number of plot devices, including the hero's fatal flaw

Synonyms & Similar Words

• include
• contain
• encompass
• entail
• carry
• number
• comprise
• comprehend
• embrace
• take in
• subsume
• incorporate
• receive
• have
• possess
• consist (of)
• constitute
• own
• admit
• bracket
• hold
• integrate
• form
• embody
• compose
• make
• assimilate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevent
• exclude
• leave (out)
• preclude
• prohibit
• omit
• eliminate
• deny
• miss out
• refuse
• ban
• bar
• reject
• debar
• rule out
• lose
• except
• misplace
• mislay

3

as in to interest

to hold the attention of

her blissful daydream so completely involved her that she never heard the knock on the door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interest
• occupy
• intrigue
• immerse
• attract
• fascinate
• engage
• busy
• grip
• absorb
• distract
• engross
• catch up
• preoccupy
• bemuse
• enwrap
• enthrall
• enchant
• catch one's eye
• captivate
• obsess
• hypnotize
• charm
• monopolize
• mesmerize
• beguile
• bewitch
• allure
• hog

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bore
• weary
• pall
• tire
• jade

4

as in to wrap

to surround or cover closely

a mind that was deeply involved in doubt about his wife's fidelity

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wrap
• enclose
• envelop
• encompass
• shroud
• encase
• embrace
• muffle
• bosom
• encircle
• enfold
• veil
• invest
• enshroud
• embower
• embed
• drape
• enwrap
• swathe
• mantle
• embosom
• lap
• cocoon
• circumfuse
• enswathe
• cloak
• bower
• curtain
• circle
• disguise
• mask
• camouflage
• overlay
• blanket
• swaddle
• overspread
• enwind
• enlace

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expose
• strip
• bare
• denude

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb involve contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of involve are comprehend, embrace, and include. While all these words mean "to contain within as part of the whole," 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

When can comprehend be used instead of involve?

The synonyms comprehend and involve are sometimes interchangeable, but comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition.

his system comprehends all history

When would embrace be a good substitute for involve?

The words embrace and involve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole.

her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs

When might include be a better fit than involve?

The meanings of include and involve largely overlap; however, include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole.

the price of dinner includes dessert

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of involve

The decaying Avenger is one of a dozen wrecks in three very different underwater environments — the western Pacific Ocean off Saipan, Lake Huron, shared by Michigan and Ontario, and the Italian Mediterranean — investigated as part of the ambitious pilot project involving eDNA. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

Milwaukee has a huge reading crisis, involving the large majority of students in all schools and all sectors of schooling in the city. —Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025

As sports-betting apps have spread, there has been a definite uptick in public gambling scandals involving athletes. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025

The co-chairs last time around, Chris Keyser and David Goodman, will not be involved this time. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025