invest

1 of 2

verb (1)

in·​vest in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio)
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
investable adjective
investor 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
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
One step organizations can take is integrating advanced analytics to help enhance their operating models and plan and invest strategically to capitalize on customer demand for recycled or lower carbon-intensive products. Jeffrey Skelton, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024 Amazon will invest another $4 billion in the startup Anthropic, adding to the more than $8 billion that the tech giant has poured into the OpenAI rival over the past 14 months. John Kell, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024 Over the past two years, CUNY has invested $1.3 million in campus programs to combat hate, including $550,000 provided by the Council, Matos Rodriguez said during the hearing. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 26 Nov. 2024 The potential shift in EV policy carries major implications for U.S. climate policy and for the U.S. auto industry, which has invested heavily in EV and battery manufacturing. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for invest 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of invest was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near invest

Cite this Entry

“Invest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invest. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

invest

1 of 2 verb
in·​vest in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio)
1
b
: to furnish with power or authority
2
: to cover completely
3
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 noun

Medical Definition

invest

transitive verb
in·​vest in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio)
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 feelingsStructure & Meaning of Psychoanalysis

Legal Definition

invest

1 of 2 transitive verb
in·​vest in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on invest

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