involve

verb

in-ˈvälv How to pronounce involve (audio)
Definition of involvenext
1
as in to affect
to be the business or affair of this isn't something that involves you, so don't worry about it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to include
to have as part of a whole a tragic play usually involves a number of plot devices, including the hero's fatal flaw

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to interest
to hold the attention of her blissful daydream so completely involved her that she never heard the knock on the door

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to wrap
to surround or cover closely a mind that was deeply involved in doubt about his wife's fidelity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb involve contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of involve are comprehend, embrace, and include. While all these words mean "to contain within as part of the whole," involve suggests inclusion by virtue of the nature of the whole, whether by being its natural or inevitable consequence.

the new job involves a lot of detail

When can comprehend be used instead of involve?

The synonyms comprehend and involve are sometimes interchangeable, but comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition.

his system comprehends all history

When would embrace be a good substitute for involve?

The words embrace and involve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole.

her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs

When might include be a better fit than involve?

The meanings of include and involve largely overlap; however, include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole.

the price of dinner includes dessert

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of involve Josh Roll said Tuesday the city appeared to be actively involved in seeking an interested buyer when property water bill issues came to light in 2023. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026 But Camp Miasma, specifically one (ahem) climactic scene involving Billy’s character, has triggered something in Kris. —Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026 The May 10 episode of Season 3 prompted backlash online over a plotline involving the Cassie Howard character, played by Sydney Sweeney. —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 13 May 2026 Some of her nine siblings are involved with horse racing, too. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for involve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for involve
  1. affect
  2. include
  3. interest
  4. wrap
  5. concern
  6. contain
  7. occupy
  8. enclose
Verb
  • The quick pivot didn’t affect the Dodgers much Friday.
    — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
  • Sources close to SkyShowtime said Paramount’s WBD deal had created palpable uncertainty among employees, leading to speculation about how the mega-merger will affect SkyShowtime’s shareholder structure.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Definition of affect
Verb
  • Elliott Management's exposure is £200 million, while Jefferies has a total exposure of about £103 million, which already includes a $20 million loss.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 18 May 2026
  • In neighboring Uganda, officials said laboratory results confirmed two cases in the capital of Kampala − including one death − among people traveling from Congo with no apparent link to each other.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Definition of include
Verb
  • Despite speculation, there has been no hard evidence to suggest the Celtics will look to trade Jaylen Brown (who likely would interest the Heat).
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
  • That agenda should interest Washington.
    — Daniel Benaim, Time, 18 May 2026
Definition of interest
Verb
  • Rippling streamlines this process by wrapping everything onto one platform, automating payroll, while coordinating with security, IT and HR.
    — Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • While Hubbard's face is completely exposed to the camera, the firearm is wrapped in what appears to be a hooded sweatshirt or jacket.
    — Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Definition of wrap
Verb
  • Endocrinology is the medical specialty concerned with these diseases of the body’s hormones.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • So far as Pedro Almodóvar is concerned, cinema is everything, and everything is cinema.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Definition of concern
Verb
  • Hormones take the child’s body at puberty and conjure from it the adult form, directing the ovaries to mature their eggs or the testicles to produce sperm, each of these gametes containing the potential to create new life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • Rare works by Joan Miró adorn the sixth-floor Presidential Suite, while the Royal Suite contains lithographs and modern artworks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • House members who occupy safe seats have fewer incentives to compromise or work across the aisle.
    — Ashley Wu, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • Whole Foods opening in Newport Beach Whole Foods is opening a second store in Newport Beach, claiming the spot occupied by a Ralphs grocery store at Westcliff Plaza.
    — Samantha Gowen, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • For the runner housing, which encloses the turbine, the team 3D printed a mold and then cast the final component in fiberglass.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
  • This inner cradle was enclosed between thicker, quarter-inch panes of Thermopane glass specially made by the Libbey Owens Ford Glass Company.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Definition of enclose

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Cite this Entry

“Involve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/involve. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on involve

Nglish: Translation of involve for Spanish Speakers

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