invite

1 of 2

verb

in·vite in-ˈvīt

invited; inviting

Synonyms of invite next

transitive verb

: to request the presence or participation of

invited us to dinner

: to request formally

: to urge politely : welcome

invite comments

: to increase the likelihood of

invite trouble

: to offer an incentive or inducement to : entice

inviter noun

invite

2 of 2

Did you know?

Is invite really a noun?

Yes. Some people feel strongly that the role of invite should be restricted to that of verb, but the English language changes and grows according to its own peculiar whims, and not those of people who write angry letters to dictionaries. The process whereby a word changes its part of speech is called functional shift, and there are tens of thousands of words which have done this. Some of them just bother people more than others, and invite (along with gift and friend, which have changed in the opposite direction) is one that attracts considerable opprobrium.

Examples of invite in a Sentence

Verb I visited their house once, but they've never invited me back. I'm planning to invite them for the weekend. Aren't you going to invite me in for a coffee? The event is limited to invited guests. Employees are invited to apply for the new position. The college invited her to speak at the graduation ceremony. The company invites suggestions from customers. Noun Did you send out the invites to the party?

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Verb

The stunning corruption scheme finally came to an end in September 2013, when authorities tricked his NCIS mole into thinking the most serious investigations had been closed and then invited Francis to San Diego for a meeting with Navy officials. —

Alex Riggins, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024 These dogs are not only beautiful but also possess a temperament that is both inviting and soothing. —

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Noun

For scheduling, send a few dates / times that work for you and ask your recipient to reply with an invite for the one that works best. —

Shani Harmon, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Harris accepted the invite but Trump repeatedly shrugged it off. —

Andrew Torgan, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for invite

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle French or Latin; Middle French inviter, from Latin invitare

First Known Use

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Noun

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of invite was in 1533

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Invite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invite. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

invite

1 of 2 verb

in·vite in-ˈvīt

invited; inviting

: to make more likely

behavior that invites criticism

invite disaster by speeding

: to request the presence or participation of

: to request formally or politely

inviter noun

invite

2 of 2 noun

in·vite ˈin-ˌvīt

: invitation

Last Updated: 11 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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invite

verb

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Examples of invite in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near invite

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition