involved 1 of 2

involved

2 of 2

verb

past tense of involve
1
as in affected
to be the business or affair of this isn't something that involves you, so don't worry about it

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective involved differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of involved are complex, complicated, intricate, and knotty. While all these words mean "having confusingly interrelated parts," involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

When is it sensible to use complex instead of involved?

In some situations, the words complex and involved are roughly equivalent. However, complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

When is complicated a more appropriate choice than involved?

The synonyms complicated and involved are sometimes interchangeable, but complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

Where would intricate be a reasonable alternative to involved?

While in some cases nearly identical to involved, intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

In what contexts can knotty take the place of involved?

The meanings of knotty and involved largely overlap; however, knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

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 involved
Adjective
At the national and state level, ideology is more involved in the issues than in local government, which addresses practical matters that more directly affect residents’ lives. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025 Institutional players are more involved, and blockchain is being used in practical ways, from tokenizing assets to improving financial systems. Nikita Sachdev, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
Injuries have played a major role in undermining the collective impact of the players involved for Brighton, while a third of the signings have been out on loan to clubs throughout the continent. Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 Unfortunately, claims like these prove to be harmful to all involved, absent full review. Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for involved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for involved
Adjective
  • The Princess of Wales is coming off a very complicated year.
    Blanche Marcel, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Admittedly, the show started to lose some momentum in later seasons as subplots and shifting relationships became more complicated.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The website Time and Date also provides detailed information about where and when to see the phenomenon.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The administration has not given detailed reasons for the visa or student enrollment status cancellations.
    Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Hitting that figure would rely deeply on the $880 billion charged to the Energy and Commerce Committee, which means Medicaid would necessarily be affected.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Additionally, taxpayers in Los Angeles County, California, affected by the devastating wildfires in January have until October 15 to file their tax returns for 2024.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The effort took two years of analysis by a team that included historians, engineers and forensic experts, Nat Geo in a statement.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • In film, Marsh’s resume included The Rebel (1961), Unearthly Stranger (1964), fantasy adventure Willow (1988), thriller Frenzy (1972) and war movie The Eagle Has Landed (1976).
    Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Left unmanaged, these issues can disrupt family dynamics, derail careers, deplete wealth and complicate legacy planning.
    John Samuels, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Shifting trade policies, geopolitical risks, supply shortages and evolving regulatory landscapes all complicate decision-making.
    Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Dutch florists provided tens of thousands of flowers in an intricate, colorful layout − a tradition in its 39th year.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • At its core, quilting involves stitching together layers of fabric, often in intricate patterns, to create both beautiful and functional items.
    Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Jabbar's truck contained an ISIS flag.
    Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Many of the posts contained hateful messages about Muslim Americans, the same type of bigotry O'Reilly had fought against.
    Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Traded by the Angels and non-tendered by Atlanta, Canning signed with the Mets because he was intrigued by their successful major-league development of starters last season.
    Tim Britton, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The Ravens would have to be intrigued if Banks falls in the mid-20s.
    Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Involved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/involved. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on involved

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!