invest

USAGE SUMMARY

"invest" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is typically used as a verb, meaning to devote time, effort, or money to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a profit or reward. Example: I invested a large sum of money in the stock market in order to generate a profit.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They scour the world for investments and try to invest on the "efficient frontier", where you can get the perfect ­balance of high returns and low risk.

The Guardian

Almost all of CDC's money goes through investment funds, which then invest in businesses in developing countries.

The Guardian

The Guardian is running a campaign asking the world's biggest health charities, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, to sell their fossil fuel investments on the basis that it is misguided to invest in companies dedicated to finding more oil, gas and coal when current reserves are already several times greater than can be safely burned.

The Guardian

We should now consider why African countries must invest in science and technology, how science creates wealth, and what Africa must do to achieve this "new liberation" – using its untapped natural wealth, human resources, and effective policy execution to create explosive wealth that by-passes western-led globalisation and creates national and continental technology hubs.

The Guardian

In addition, our first priority is to invest in the squad and football staff infrastructure to support the manager Eddie Howe and his coaching staff, which we believe is the best strategy to maintain our Premier League status.

The Guardian - Sport

Lower-risk bond funds invest in things such as gilts (government bonds) and corporate bonds, but your income is likely to be 2%-3 2%-3%

The Guardian - Money

In terms of preparing cities to be as disaster-resilient as possible, the UN's office for disaster risk reduction launched its Making Cities Resilient campaign in 2010, urging local governments to raise disaster resilience awareness among citizens, invest in risk-reduction activities, and build more safely.

The Guardian

"Businesses are looking to invest in Bradford for the first time in many years.

The Guardian - Sport

Andrew Teacher, spokesman for the British Property Federation, said: "At a time where we need the freedom for people to invest in regeneration projects to create new jobs, listing the MK Centre is utter madness.

The Guardian - Arts

"News will continue to invest in our extensive suite of print and digital products, which are purchased and read by millions of Australians every day".

The Guardian

While I wouldn't recommend buying a foundation from Poundland (bit green), or its makeup brushes (you can do better at an art shop) there are several products you can happily invest in.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "invest", clearly specify what is being invested in (e.g., time, money, effort) to provide context and clarity. It can also be used figuratively, such as "investing in a relationship".

Common error

Don't assume every "invest" guarantees immediate returns. Acknowledge potential risks and the timeline for anticipated benefits. A thoughtful investment strategy considers both potential gains and possible losses.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "invest" is as a verb, indicating the act of committing resources (money, time, or effort) with the expectation of future benefit or return. Ludwig AI provides several examples where "invest" is used in this way.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

29%

Science

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "invest" is a verb that signifies the commitment of resources with the anticipation of future gain. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage, especially in contexts related to news, business, and finance. When using "invest", specifying what is being invested in is crucial for clarity. Alternatives include "allocate resources" or "put money into". The tone is generally neutral to professional, as evidenced by its frequent appearance in reputable news sources such as The Guardian. Though widely accepted, remember that no investment guarantees returns; carefully consider the associated risks. So, while it is very common it's good practice to understand that future cannot be predicted.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

put money into

A more direct and less formal way to describe financial investment.

put resources towards

Directs attention to the specific goal or purpose of the investment.

allocate capital

Specifically refers to the deployment of financial assets.

allocate resources

Focuses on the distribution of resources, not necessarily with the expectation of financial return.

fund

Emphasizes the provision of financial support.

devote resources

Emphasizes dedication and commitment, applicable to time, effort, or money.

finance

Focuses on providing the necessary capital for an undertaking.

endow resources

Implies providing a permanent source of income or support.

plow into

Informal way to describe putting resources/money in a project.

bankroll

Slang, meaning to supply with money.

FAQs

How to use "invest" in a sentence?

You can use "invest" in a sentence to describe committing resources, such as "They "invest" a lot of money in stocks" or "You should "invest" time in studying".

What can I say instead of "invest"?

You can use alternatives like "allocate resources", "put money into", or "devote resources" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "invest in" or "invest into"?

"Invest in" is the correct and more common usage. "Invest into" is less frequent and may sound awkward to native English speakers.

What's the difference between "invest" and "donate"?

"Invest" implies an expectation of future gain or benefit, whereas "donate" implies giving something without expecting anything in return. They "invest" in companies they believe will grow, whereas they "donate" to charities.