invite

[in-vahyt, in-vahyt]

verb (used with object)

invited, inviting 

1. 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

2. to request politely or formally.

   to invite donations.

   Synonyms: solicit

3. to act so as to bring on or render probable.

   to invite accidents by fast driving.

4. to call forth or give occasion for.

   Those big shoes invite laughter.

5. to attract, allure, entice, or tempt.

   Synonyms: draw, lure

verb (used without object)

invited, inviting 

1. to give invitation; offer attractions or allurements.

noun

1. Informal.,  an invitation.

invite

verb

1. to ask (a person or persons) in a friendly or polite way (to do something, attend an event, etc)

   he invited them to dinner

2. to make a request for, esp publicly or formally

   to invite applications

3. to bring on or provoke; give occasion for

   you invite disaster by your actions

4. to welcome or tempt

noun

1. an informal word for invitation

Other Word Forms

• invitee noun
• inviter noun
• invitor noun
• preinvite verb (used with object)
• quasi-invited adjective
• reinvite verb
• self-invited adjective
• uninvited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of invite¹

First recorded in 1525–35, invite is from the Latin word invītāre

Word History and Origins

Origin of invite¹

C16: from Latin invītāre to invite, entertain, from _in- ² + -vītāre, probably related to Greek hiesthai to be desirous of

Synonym Study

See call.

Example Sentences

In a culture increasingly fractured by distrust and division, Halloween is one of the few holidays that invite everyone—regardless of income, background or belief—into public, shared spaces.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Masli, mishearing his worry, assumed he didn’t have a place to go and found someone in the audience who was happy to invite him to her house for a family gathering.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When I was invited recently to tour an Amazon distribution center in Denver with a few colleagues, I jumped at the opportunity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Those who received one are being invited to the workshops, which will offer practical tips and meal guides.

Read more on BBC

In 2022 the New York Times named Naroditsky as its "new chess columnist" and invited him to contribute to a series of chess puzzles for the newspaper's games section.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• appeal to www.thesaurus.com
• attract 
• call 
• draw 
• encourage 
• insist 
• lead 
• persuade 
• press 
• propose 
• request 
• suggest 
• summon 
• tempt 
• urge 
• welcome 
• woo