1 invest | Definition of invest

invest

verb (1)
in·​vest | \ in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio) \
invested; investing; invests

Definition of invest

 (Entry 1 of 2)

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

invest

verb (2)
invested; investing; invests

Definition of invest (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from invest

Verb (1)

investable \ in-​ˈve-​stə-​bəl How to pronounce investable (audio) \ adjective
investor \ in-​ˈve-​stər How to pronounce investor (audio) \ noun

Examples of invest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

This translates into $1 out of $4 of all U.S. invested funds. Sandra Woien, The Conversation, "Should investors buy marijuana stocks?," 29 Aug. 2019 Just like the Tibi blazer above, investing in a cashmere cardigan is never a bad idea. Kami Phillips, CNN Underscored, "10 white styles you should totally wear after Labor Day," 29 Aug. 2019 So consider investing in some good blackout curtains. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, "Why You're Gaining Weight Suddenly, According to Doctors and Dietitians," 27 Aug. 2019 But, as Reuters explains, Trump can discourage American firms from investing there by raising tariffs even higher. Fortune, "Can Trump ‘Order’ US Firms Out of China? Should He? — CEO Daily," 24 Aug. 2019 The British monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh invested Mr. Paul Hughes with the Insignia of a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order on Monday, an engagement which was both recorded in the Court Circular, and reported by Hello. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Take a Break from Their Vacation For a Special Engagement," 21 Aug. 2019 Russia has more icebreakers than any other nation; China is also investing substantially in them. National Geographic, "Arctic Assets," 21 Aug. 2019 The promise of being able to play on Stadia, getting maxed-out 4K visuals without investing in a high-end graphics card of your own? Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Google shows off Stadia streaming games: Cyberpunk 2077, Mortal Kombat 11, and more," 19 Aug. 2019 So the question still remains: Is the money companies might invest in all these passive tracking systems worth it? Rose Eveleth, Scientific American, "Your Employer May Be Spying on You—and Wasting Its Time," 16 Aug. 2019

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.

See More

First Known Use of invest

Verb (1)

1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

circa 1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for invest

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

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for invest

invest

verb

Financial Definition of invest

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

invest

verb
in·​vest | \ in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio) \
invested; investing

Kids Definition of invest

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: to give power or authority to

invest

verb
invested; investing

Kids Definition of invest (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to put out money in order to gain profit She invested in a business.
2 : to put out (as effort) in support of a usually worthy cause We invested time in the project.

Other Words from invest

investor \ -​ˈves-​tər \ noun
in·​vest | \ in-ˈvest How to pronounce invest (audio) \

Medical Definition of invest