Invest — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /in-ˈvest/ in·vest

Meaning & Definition of Invest

Invest (verb)

  1. to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return
  2. to make use of for future benefits or advantages
  3. to involve or engage especially emotionally
  4. to array in the symbols of office or honor
  5. to furnish with power or authority
  6. to grant someone control or authority over, vest

Invest (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle

    "invested the film with his own enthusiasm for the wonders of flight"

    similar: endue, imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, steep, suffuse
    related: animate, charge, enliven, invigorate, leaven, implant, instill, plant, impregnate, permeate, pervade, saturate, deluge, drown, fill, flood, inundate, overwhelm, submerge
    near: deprive, divest, strip, clear, empty, eliminate, remove, take (away)

  2. to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute

    "a woman invested with the strong desire to make the world a better place"

    similar: bless, endow, endue, favor, gift
    related: equip, provide, supply, bestow (on or upon), clothe, confer (on), cover, accord, award, grant, empower, enable, enhance, enrich, heighten, bequeath, will
    near: dispossess, divest, strip, deplete, drain, exhaust, skimp, stint

  3. to give official or legal power to

    "invested him with power of attorney"

    similar: accredit, authorize, certify, charter (British), commission, empower, enable, license, qualify, vest, warrant
    related: approve, clear, credential, endorse, OK, sanction, affirm, confirm, validate, inaugurate, induct, initiate, install, instate, swear in, allow, let, permit, enfranchise, entitle, privilege
    opposite: disqualify
    near: ban, bar, block, constrain, deny, disallow, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disfranchise, exclude, hinder, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent, shut out, stop, enjoin, forbid, interdict, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe, veto

  4. to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes

    "a fashion designer who has invested a number of the winners of the best actress award"

    similar: apparel, array, attire, bedeck, caparison, clothe, costume, deck (out), do up, dress, dress up, enrobe, garb, garment, get up, gown, habit, rig (out), robe, suit, tog (up or out), toilet, vesture
    related: cloak, frock, jacket, mantle, vest, drape, enswathe, hap (dialect), huddle, swaddle, swathe, wrap, accoutre, bedight (archaic), equip, furnish, habilitate, outfit, tailor, uniform, dress down, underdress
    opposite: disarray, disrobe, strip, unclothe, undress, untruss (archaic)
    near: denude, divest, uncover, undrape, unveil

  5. to put into an office or welcome into an organization with special ceremonies

    "the beloved actor was finally invested as a knight by the queen"

    similar: baptize, inaugurate, induct, initiate, install, instate, seat
    related: swear in, consecrate, enshrine, accept, admit, receive, take in, enlist, enroll
    near: can, discharge, fire, terminate, muster out

  6. to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication

    "the city was mercilessly invested for an entire year, but never fell"

    similar: beleaguer, besiege, blockade, leaguer (archaic), lay siege to
    related: barricade, block, cut off, dam, encircle, assail, assault, attack, beset, confine, insulate, isolate, quarantine
    near: emancipate, free, liberate, release, rescue

  7. to surround or cover closely

    "nightfall invested the land"

    similar: bosom, bower, circumfuse, cocoon, embosom, embower, embrace, enclose, encompass, enfold, enshroud, enswathe, envelop, enwrap, involve, lap, mantle, muffle, shroud, swathe, veil, wrap
    related: curtain, drape, embed, encase, swaddle, blanket, overlay, overspread, camouflage, cloak, disguise, mask, circle, encircle, enlace, enwind
    near: bare, denude, expose, strip

Related Entry: Invest (in) (verb)

Invest (in) is a different word from Invest. The synonyms below are for invest (in), not for invest.

  1. as in capitalize

    similar: capitalize, back, promote, sponsor, award, grant, bequeath, contribute, donate, subscribe, support, underwrite, establish, found, organize, endow, finance, fund, subsidize
    opposite: defund, disendow, draw, receive, subsist

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Invest

The most common words with a similar meaning to Invest:

British: charter
Archaic: leaguer
endue, imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, steep, suffuse, bless, endow, favor, gift, accredit, authorize, certify, commission, empower, enable, license, qualify, vest, warrant, apparel, array, attire, bedeck, caparison, clothe, costume, deck (out), do up, dress, dress up, enrobe, garb, garment, get up, gown, habit, rig (out)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Invest

Words with the opposite meaning of Invest:

disqualify, disarray, disrobe, strip, unclothe, undress, untruss

Related Words for Invest

animate, charge, enliven, invigorate, leaven, implant, instill, plant, impregnate, permeate, pervade, saturate, deluge, drown, fill, flood, inundate, overwhelm, submerge, equip, provide, supply, bestow (on or upon), confer (on), cover, accord, award, grant, enhance, enrich

Near Antonyms of Invest

deprive, divest, clear, empty, eliminate, remove, take (away), dispossess, deplete, drain, exhaust, skimp, stint, ban, bar, block, constrain, deny, disallow, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disfranchise, exclude, hinder, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, prevent

Word Forms of Invest

Inflections: invested, investing, invests

Derived words: investable (adjective), investor (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Invest

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

First known use: 15th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Invest

  • Topics: Shopping & Money, Business & Economics

Words & Phrases Containing Invest

invest as, invest in, coinvest

Frequently Asked Questions about Invest

What does "Invest" mean?

"Invest" means to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return. As a verb, it is defined as: to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Invest"?

Other words for "Invest" include endue, imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, steep and suffuse. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Invest" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Invest"?

There are 178 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Invest". Common alternatives include endue, imbue, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, steep, suffuse, bless and endow.

What is the opposite of "Invest"?

Antonyms of "Invest" include disqualify, disarray, disrobe, strip, unclothe, undress and untruss. Near antonyms include deprive, divest, clear and empty.

How do you use "Invest" in a sentence?

Examples of "Invest" in a sentence: "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".

Is "Invest" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Invest" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Invest"?

"Invest" is pronounced /in-ˈvest/ and divided into syllables as in·vest.

What is the origin of the word "Invest"?

"Invest" comes from Italian investire to clothe, invest money, from Latin, to clothe. First known use: 15th centuryt.