invite
Americanverb (used with object)
-
invites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
invited,
past participle, past
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inviting
present participle
-
to request the presence or participation of in a kindly, courteous, or complimentary way, especially to request to come or go to some place, gathering, entertainment, etc., or to do something.
to invite friends to dinner.
- Synonyms:
- bid
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to request politely or formally.
to invite donations.
- Synonyms:
- solicit
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to act so as to bring on or render probable.
to invite accidents by fast driving.
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to call forth or give occasion for.
Those big shoes invite laughter.
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to attract, allure, entice, or tempt.
verb (used without object)
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invites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
invited,
past participle, past
-
inviting
present participle
noun
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invites
plural
verb
-
to ask (a person or persons) in a friendly or polite way (to do something, attend an event, etc)
he invited them to dinner
-
to make a request for, esp publicly or formally
to invite applications
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to bring on or provoke; give occasion for
you invite disaster by your actions
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to welcome or tempt
noun
Synonym Usage
See call.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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inviteenoun
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inviternoun
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invitornoun
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reinviteverb
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preinviteverb (used with object)
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quasi-invitedadjective
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self-invitedadjective
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uninvitedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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invitesimple
-
invitessimple
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have invitedperfect
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has invitedperfect
-
am invitingprogressive
-
are invitingprogressive
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is invitingprogressive
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have been invitingperfect progressive
-
has been invitingperfect progressive
Past
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invitedsimple
-
had invitedperfect
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was invitingprogressive
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were invitingprogressive
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had been invitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of invite
First recorded in 1525–35, invite is from the Latin word invītāre
Explanation
When you invite a friend to do something, you request her company, or encourage her to come with you. You might invite a group of neighbors to help you throw a block party. You could invite your friend to join you on a road trip, or invite your parents to your art show at a local gallery. You're making a polite request. Similarly, a newspaper might invite readers' comments, or a school might invite ideas for how to spend grant money. Invite is also casual shorthand for "invitation." When you tempt someone to react, you also invite that reaction: "Your strange film really invites harsh criticism."
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:
Spotify built the invite list by identifying Summit’s top listeners in the New York area, while Summit invited others using his profile.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
As Friday's episode got under way, a delicious new twist saw traitors Richard E Grant and Maya Jama invite James Acaster to join them in the turret, and simultaneously murder a fellow player.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
"As a special treat in honor of President Xi and Madam Peng, I'd like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back," Trump told guests.
From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026
After major league owners and players reach a new collective bargaining agreement, probably sometime next year, baseball is expected to invite bids for two expansion teams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Anya made a mental note to never invite Semya to her house.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
The network invites them into the studio so its audience can watch them lose.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
Rather than declining invitations that you can’t afford, proffer your own invites for dinner or to a barbecue or the county fair.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Assigning in-class lessons on devices invites kids to rush through them so they can goof off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
The quirky storefront invites passersby to stop and have a look, almost like curious cats themselves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
One night he invites his friends to this bar, which charges $ 15 each to get in, and he pays for everything.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
Min Aung Hlaing touched down on Wednesday, invited for a two-day visit to discuss thousands of Myanmar migrants being sent back under a repatriation scheme touted by Anwar.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
They invited comments from the public, saying farmers across the country are facing barriers to acquiring agricultural equipment and the services required to keep the equipment operating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Flaco Jiménez’s son told me that Kacey wanted to do an all-Texas thing where Willie Nelson was in the song and Kacey also invited Flaco to play accordion,” said Muñoz, who heard the original demo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Respondents were invited to select up to six.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
So, when Lyman invited him for a visit, the concerned Lemuel was quick to accept.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
David approached women on the street inviting them to the women-only section.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
“I’ve been trying for many years to figure out a way to triangulate the commercial interests of the for-profit world and the nonprofit world by inviting artists into a regular dialogue with the company.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Prior, Zuckerberg had embarked on an aggressive blitz himself, directly messaging candidates and inviting them to his homes in Palo Alto and Lake Tahoe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Daniel described the moment they received a phone call inviting them to Windsor Castle as "unbelievable".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
They looked so inviting, but beneath the water, the ground was always sharp and slick.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
