inviting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- invitingly adverb
- invitingness noun
Etymology
Origin of inviting
Explanation
Inviting things are very appealing. Your host's inviting smile makes you truly feel welcomed and even a little bit charmed. On a hot summer day, nothing looks quite as inviting as a cool, sparkling swimming pool, and when you come inside after walking home in the snow, a cozy fire in the wood stove is also quite inviting. Something inviting promises comfort or pleasure. The word comes from invitation, from the Latin invitare, "invite, treat, or entertain," which originally meant "be pleasant toward."
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.
Last year, Moody’s warned of the dangers of inviting retail investors into the funds: “If growth outpaces the industry’s ability to manage such complexities, such challenges could have systemic consequences.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
In recent months, the Florida-based organization for which I work has posted billboards in Georgia and Mississippi inviting folks interested in education freedom to “Join Us.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Local authorities are expected to contact eligible households directly, inviting them to apply.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
"Thank you First Lady Melania Trump for inviting me to the White House," said the gray-and-black robot, gesturing with its hands in its brief opening remarks.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
Her smile was kind and inviting, but I knew a Therapist Trick when I saw one.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
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.
