invite

1 of 2

verb

in·​vite in-ˈvīt How to pronounce invite (audio)
invited; inviting

transitive verb

1
a
: to request the presence or participation of
invited us to dinner
b
: to request formally
c
: to urge politely : welcome
invite comments
2
a
: to increase the likelihood of
invite trouble
b
: to offer an incentive or inducement to : entice
inviter noun

invite

2 of 2

noun

in·​vite ˈin-ˌvīt How to pronounce invite (audio)

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
Meanwhile, anti-Trump YouTubers are consistently topping the platform’s podcast charts — and snagging VIP invites to YouTube’s upfront advertising and media presentations in New York. Max Tani, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025 Both of them, Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez, clubbed critical homers during a weekend that invited wonder about whether this is a changing of the guard instead of an impressive season. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
Elsewhere, Vince is on cloud nine, popping in on Gen with a coffee and an invite to a Mets game. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025 Some were private and by invite only; others were open to the public. Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Invite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invite. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

invite

1 of 2 verb
in·​vite in-ˈvīt How to pronounce invite (audio)
invited; inviting
1
: to make more likely
behavior that invites criticism
invite disaster by speeding
2
a
: to request the presence or participation of
b
: to request formally or politely
inviter noun

invite

2 of 2 noun
in·​vite ˈin-ˌvīt How to pronounce invite (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on invite

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