involve

verb

in·​volve in-ˈvälv How to pronounce involve (audio)
-ˈvȯlv,
 also  -ˈväv,
 or  -ˈvȯv
involved; involving
Synonyms of involvenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to engage as a participant
workers involved in building a house
b
: to oblige to take part
right of Congress to involve the nation in war
c
: to occupy (someone, such as oneself) absorbingly
especially : to commit (someone) emotionally
was involved with a married man
2
a
: to have within or as part of itself : include
b
: to require as a necessary accompaniment : entail
c
: affect entry 1
the cancer involved the lymph nodes
3
: to relate closely : connect
4
: to surround as if with a wrapping : envelop
5
archaic : to enfold or envelop so as to encumber
6
archaic : to wind, coil, or wreathe about
involver noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for involve

include, comprehend, embrace, involve mean to contain within as part of the whole.

include suggests the containment of something as a constituent, component, or subordinate part of a larger whole.

the price of dinner includes dessert

comprehend implies that something comes within the scope of a statement or definition.

his system comprehends all history

embrace implies a gathering of separate items within a whole.

her faith embraces both Christian and non-Christian beliefs

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

Examples of involve in a Sentence

He told us a story involving life on a farm. She remained involved with the organization for many years. Renovating the house involved hiring a contractor. The disease continued to spread until it involved the entire jaw.
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.
Thousands of police officers were deployed across Paris, seeking to avoid a repeat of last week’s violence in Amsterdam involving locals and Israeli fans. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024 In a letter sent to football players and their families, Kelly Lara, an assistant district superintendent, said two incidents occurred involving racist speech made toward, and about, a Black teammate. —Krissy Waite, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 Replacing a drab sky with a beautiful one used to be a many-step process involving manual masking and layers. —PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024 How was Ferrante herself involved with the TV show? —Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for involve 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English envolven, involven "to cloud (with obscurities), envelop (in darkness, vice), encumber, surround," borrowed from Latin involvere "to move by rolling, roll back on itself, enclose in a covering, wrap up" (Medieval Latin, "to envelop [in tears, shadows], engage in an affair or occupation, implicate, ensnare"), from in- in- entry 2 + volvere "to set in a circular course, cause to roll, bring round" — more at wallow entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Time Traveler
The first known use of involve was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing involve

Dictionary Entries Near involve

involution

involve

involved

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Involve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/involve. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

involve

verb
in·​volve in-ˈvälv How to pronounce involve (audio)
-ˈvȯlv
involved; involving
1
: to take part in as a participant
involved in bird watching
2
: to occupy absorbingly
so involved in the book, she didn't hear the doorbell
3
: to have within or as a part of itself : include
one problem involves others
4
: to call for : require
the job involved building 10 bridges
5
: to have an effect on : affect
the renovations involved the whole school
involvement
-mənt How to pronounce involve (audio)
noun
involver noun

Medical Definition

involve

transitive verb
in·​volve
in-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv also -ˈväv or -ˈvȯv
involved; involving
: to affect with a disease or condition : include in an area of damage, trauma, or insult
all the bones of the skull were involved in the proliferative process
herpes involved the trigeminal nerve
severely involved patients were isolated
lacerations involved the muscles

More from Merriam-Webster on involve

Nglish: Translation of involve for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of involve for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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