involve

[ in-volv ]

/ ɪnˈvɒlv /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: involve / involved / involves / involving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), in·volved, in·volv·ing.

to include as a necessary circumstance, condition, or consequence; imply; entail: This job involves long hours and hard work.

to engage or employ.

to affect, as something within the scope of operation.

to include, contain, or comprehend within itself or its scope.

to bring into an intricate or complicated form or condition.

to bring into difficulties (usually followed by with): a plot to involve one nation in a war with another.

to cause to be troublesomely associated or concerned, as in something embarrassing or unfavorable: Don't involve me in your quarrel!

to combine inextricably (usually followed by with).

to implicate, as in guilt or crime, or in any matter or affair.

to engage the interests or emotions or commitment of: to become involved in the disarmament movement; to become involved with another woman.

to preoccupy or absorb fully (usually used passively or reflexively): You are much too involved with the problem to see it clearly.

to envelop or enfold, as if with a wrapping.

to swallow up, engulf, or overwhelm.

Archaic. to roll, surround, or shroud, as in a wrapping.
to roll up on itself; wind spirally; coil; wreathe.

OTHER WORDS FOR involve

1 necessitate, require, demand.

See synonyms for involve on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR involve

7 extricate.

See antonyms for involve on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of involve

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English involven, from Latin involvere “to roll in or up,” equivalent to in- in-² + volvere “to roll”; see revolve

synonym study for involve

6, 7, 9. Involve, entangle, implicate imply getting a person connected or bound up with something from which it is difficult to extricate himself or herself. To involve is to bring more or less deeply into something, especially of a complicated, embarrassing, or troublesome nature: to involve someone in debt. To entangle (usually passive or reflexive) is to involve so deeply in a tangle as to confuse and make helpless: to entangle oneself in a mass of contradictory statements. To implicate is to connect a person with somethingdiscreditable or wrong: implicated in a plot.

OTHER WORDS FROM involve

in·volve·ment, nounin·volv·er, nounin·ter·in·volve, verb (used with object), in·ter·in·volved, in·ter·in·volv·ing.o·ver·in·volve, verb (used with object), o·ver·in·volved, o·ver·in·volv·ing.

pre·in·volve, verb (used with object), pre·in·volved, pre·in·volv·ing.re·in·volve, verb (used with object), re·in·volved, re·in·volv·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use involve in a sentence

“I’m not entirely surprised that Apple would be involved in trying to water down legislation that concerns protection of human rights in China,” said Maya Wang, a China researcher at Human Rights Watch.
Apple is lobbying against a bill aimed at stopping forced labor in China|Reed Albergotti|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
It said grand jury records are court records — not Justice Department records — and have historically been released to Congress in the course of impeachment investigations involving three federal judges and two presidents.
Supreme Court postpones hearing on congressional effort to obtain secret Mueller material|Robert Barnes|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
While most of Snyder’s attempts to obtain records from these people remain in progress, the one involving Blair recently was completed.
Washington Football Team minority owners have a deal to sell, but Daniel Snyder is blocking it|Will Hobson, Mark Maske, Liz Clarke|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Scooter and e-bike riders in the District could soon have a greater chance of collecting damages when they are involved in collisions with vehicles.
D.C. Council weighs making it easier for e-scooter riders to collect damages after crashes|Luz Lazo|November 20, 2020|Washington Post

A best-case scenario for Minnesota might involve trading back a few slots and adding a rotation piece to a young and thin roster.
NBA free agency tracker (plus trades): Warriors acquire Kelly Oubre; 76ers trade Al Horford to Thunder|Ben Golliver|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
But his account of a dissident plot involving Gambian expats using U.S. weapons is similar to what Faal told the FBI.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And yet, a dossier of allegations involving human rights could not help any cardinal at a moment like that.
How Pope Francis Became the World’s BFF|Jason Berry|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Moraca pointed to another form of return fraud, involving gift cards.
The Insane $11 Billion Scam at Retailers’ Return Desks|M.L. Nestel|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This was never truer than in the cases involving Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
The Post-Brown and Garner Question: Who ‘Deserves’ to Die?|Goldie Taylor|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Robberies—including those involving cellphones—were down 14 percent.
Eric Garner Was Just a Number to Them|Michael Daly|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Persistent glycosuria has been noted in brain injuries involving the floor of the fourth ventricle.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
As judge, I set about collecting his property with much diligence, involving considerable hardship.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
This acceptance is based upon a transaction involving the importation or exportation of goods.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
As a consequence several varieties of curtains, all involving the use of asbestos, have been contrived.
Asbestos|Robert H. Jones
That is thy false friends promising thee peace and happiness, and by their evil counsels involving thee in misery.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for involve

involve

/ (ɪnˈvɒlv) /

verb (tr)

to include or contain as a necessary partthe task involves hard work

to have an effect on; spread tothe investigation involved many innocent people

(often passive; usually foll by in or with) to concern or associate significantlymany people were involved in the crime

(often passive) to make complicated; tanglethe situation was further involved by her disappearance

rare, often poetic to wrap or surround

maths obsolete to raise to a specified power

Derived forms of involve

involvement, nouninvolver, noun

Word Origin for involve

C14: from Latin involvere to roll in, surround, from in- ² + volvere to roll

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 Idioms and Phrases with involve

involve

see get involved with.

involve

OTHER WORDS FOR involve

OPPOSITES FOR involve

Origin of involve

synonym study for involve

OTHER WORDS FROM involve

Words related to involve

How to use involve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for involve

Derived forms of involve

Word Origin for involve

Other Idioms and Phrases with involve