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

Federal officials have invested a lot of money and time in doing exercises, hundreds them with state and local officials, sharing intelligence and information, and trying to share best practices. —CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024

The California Community Foundation, which contributed $2.1 million to the campaign, has also invested another $4 million in a community organizing drive to generate support, said the organization’s president and chief executive, Miguel Santana. —Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024

Spanish energy giant Iberdrola has invested over $13 billion into the U.S. and UK over the past 12 months, fueling a 150% surge in profits for the first nine months of the year. —Greg McKenna, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2024

The program represents one of the most significant investments in Poland's national security and border defense in its post-war history, with the government having receiving invested around $2.5 billion in its implementation. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

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

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