inviting
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
On its website, however, Crystal River still is providing information on the Step Up scholarship for parents while inviting students to enroll for next school year.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
“The spacious living room is anchored by a wood-burning fireplace and filled with natural light, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for everyday living and entertaining,” the listing reads.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
In the foreground is the inviting backyard of a middle-class home: sunlit green grass, a tool shed, a picnic table, but no people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
However, Narayan, who was appointed by Sir Keir Starmer, said the new prime minister inviting him to attend cabinet as minister for AI was a "sign of his deep commitment to AI's importance."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 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.
