Synonyms

invest

American

[in-vest] / ɪnˈvɛst /

verb (used with object)

to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
to use (money), as in accumulating something.

to invest large sums in books.
to use, give, or devote (time, talent, etc.), as for a purpose or to achieve something.

He invested a lot of time in cleaning up the neighborhood after the flood.
to furnish with power, authority, rank, etc..

The Constitution invests the president with the power of veto.
to furnish or endow with a power, right, etc.; vest.

Feudalism invested the lords with absolute authority over their vassals.
to endow with a quality or characteristic.

to invest a friend with every virtue.
to infuse or belong to, as a quality or characteristic.

Goodness invests his every action.
Metallurgy. to surround (a pattern) with an investment.
to provide with the insignia of office.
to install in an office or position.
to clothe, attire, or dress.
to cover, adorn, or envelop.

Spring invests the trees with leaves.
to surround (a place) with military forces or works so as to prevent approach or escape; besiege.

verb (used without object)

to invest money; make an investment.

to invest in oil stock.

invest British

/ ɪnˈvɛst /

verb

(often foll by in) to lay out (money or capital in an enterprise, esp by purchasing shares) with the expectation of profit
to devote (effort, resources, etc, to a project)
archaic (tr; often foll by in or with) to clothe or adorn (in some garment, esp the robes of an office)

to invest a king in the insignia of an emperor
to install formally or ceremoniously (in an official position, rank, etc)
(tr; foll by in or with) to place (power, authority, etc, in) or provide (with power or authority)

to invest new rights in the monarchy
(tr; usually passive; foll by in or with) to provide or endow (a person with qualities, characteristics, etc)

he was invested with great common sense
poetic to cover or adorn, as if with a coat or garment

when spring invests the trees with leaves
rare (tr) to surround with military forces; besiege
informal to purchase; buy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of invest

First recorded in 1525–35; from Old Italian investire, from Medieval Latin investīre “to install, invest (money), surround, clothe in,” Latin: “to clothe, deck, adorn,” equivalent to in- prefix + vestīre “to clothe, dress,” derivative of vestis “clothes, garment”; see in- ², vest

Explanation

When you invest, you put time or money into something, hoping that there will be returns greater than what was originally put in. You commonly hear talk of investing money, but you can invest time in a project as well. You can invest your hopes or emotions in a person. The money, time, or hope is called the investment. Invest can also mean to endow with a power or quality. Laws invest police officers with abilities that regular citizens do not have. Invest originally meant to clothe. In fact, there is a room in some churches still called a vestry where priests get into their garb.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

invest invests invested investing

Asked what it would take for Chevron to invest additional capital, he said the industry was looking for evidence that the country has become “a better investment environment.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Its purpose was “to discuss each month in detail how to make, save, invest and spend money.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

MarketWatch surveyed 93 readers under age 30 about how they invest , where they get their financial info and how they think about building wealth.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

“We’re proud to invest directly in this connectivity to make everyday commutes easier and more affordable,” the company said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

“Nor should you. We’ll find you some good wood elsewhere. I’m getting close to convincing a few key people to invest in our school. Now, Neel, how are you feeling about tomorrow?”

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

Wall Street expects negative FCF of $9.7 billion in 2026, according to FactSet data, as the company invests in projects related to artificial intelligence.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

And through Qstar Capital, he now invests across artificial intelligence, energy, biotech, robotics and frontier technologies, including early investments in SpaceX and CoreWeave.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

"The UAE invests for the long term and builds partnerships that endure," UAE Industry Minister Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

The WSJ’s Bob Tita writes that the debut of the chatbot comes as Deere invests billions of dollars into AI-enabled farm equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Zero in quantum mechanics invests the vacuum with infinite energy.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

A post to Book Soup’s Instagram page said Hoffman and his family are “genuinely invested in this community.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

The BBC's financial situation and changing audience habits "may well mean" some channels and radio stations have to close so resources can be invested in on-demand services, its director general has said.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

That’s because people who own their own homes and are invested in the stock market are less price-sensitive.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

Mr. Oppenheim—directing a script by Ajon Singh, based on an Esquire article by Luke Dittrich—is more invested in crafting a nightmarish, media-saturated spectacle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Their eyes are riveted on me, invested, waiting for an answer.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson

Still, how exactly is investing in power for AI data centers relevant to a reduction in climate-change impacts?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The inaugural October 1972 issue featured articles on prescription-drug prices, bond funds and the risks of investing in limited partnerships.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

He believes he can have the most positive impact by investing in AI companies, and using his returns to invest in nonprofits that support AI safety.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

As Radcliff embarks on his investing journey, he has a goal of graduating debt-free with $250,000 in assets.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

In October 2001, he explained the concept in his letter to investors: “Ick investing means taking a special analytical interest in stocks that inspire a first reaction of ‘ick.’”

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023