invite

/ɪnˈvaɪt/
verbBeginner
formalinformal

to ask someone to come to an event, place, or gathering

We invited them to dinner next week.

We asked them to come to dinner next week.

The company invited all employees to the annual meeting.

The company asked all employees to attend the annual meeting.

💡

Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

informal

to suggest or encourage someone to do something

He invited her to share her thoughts on the project.

He encouraged her to share her thoughts on the project.

💡

Often used to suggest participation or contribution.

Collocations

invite someone toask someone to come or participateinvite someone overask someone to come to your placeinvite someone to dinnerask someone to join you for a meal

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

invitationphrase
a formal or informal request to come or participate
invitingadjective
appealing or attractive

💡Pro Tip

Formal vs. Informal

Use 'invite' in both formal and informal contexts, but for very formal events, 'invitation' is often used as a noun.

Gold Rule

Subject-Verb Agreement

Remember that 'invite' is a regular verb: 'I invite', 'he invites', 'they invited'.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'inviten', from Old French 'inviter', from Latin 'invitare', meaning 'to invite, summon'.

📝Usage Notes

The past tense and past participle is 'invited'.

Word Breakdown

in-
not
prefix
+
vite
to come
root
English Dictionary