invest

/ɪnˈvɛst/

//ɪnˈvɛst// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"invest" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“invest” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,167 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#4,167
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
19
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

invest vs Ives
50% similar
invest vs invested
75% similar
invest vs investor
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for invest
PropertyValue
Headwordinvest
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈvɛst/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,167
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs19
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “invest” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). invest lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for invest is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈvɛst/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,167 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for invest, with forms such as "inevst", "innvest", and "invesst". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 19 confusable-pair relationships, "Ives", "invested", "investor", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French investir or Medieval Latin investire, from Latin investio (“to clothe, cover”), from in- (“in, on”) + vestio (“to clothe, dress”), from vestis (“clothing”); see vest. The sense “to spend money etc.” probably via Italian investire… The correct English form is invest, spelled I-N-V-E-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in.
  2. 2
    To clothe or wrap (with garments).
  3. 3
    To put on (clothing).
  4. 4
    To envelop, wrap, cover.
  5. 5
    To commit money or capital in the hope of financial gain.
  6. 6
    To ceremonially install someone in some office.
  7. 7
    To formally give (someone) some power or authority.
  8. 8
    To formally give (power or authority).
  9. 9
    To surround, accompany, or attend.
  10. 10
    To lay siege to.
  11. 11
    To make investments.
  12. 12
    To prepare for lost wax casting by creating an investment mold (a mixture of a silica sand and plaster).
  13. 13
    To cause to be involved in; to cause to form strong attachments to.
  14. 14
    To inaugurate the Prime Minister of Spain after a successful parliamentary vote.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French investir or Medieval Latin investire, from Latin investio (“to clothe, cover”), from in- (“in, on”) + vestio (“to clothe, dress”), from vestis (“clothing”); see vest. The sense “to spend money etc.” probably via Italian investire, of the same root.

Synonyms

beclothedondressclothebesiege

Antonyms

divestdivestdisinvestdivest

This word in other languages

invertir(Español)investir(Français)investieren(Deutsch)cobrir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inevst,innvest,invesst,investt,invets,invset,invvest,ivnest,nivest

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of invest - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

inevst2innvest1invesst1investt1invets2invset2invvest1ivnest2
Edit distance from "invest"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "invest"?
"invest" is spelled I-N-V-E-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈvɛst/.
What does "invest" mean?
As a verb, "invest" means: To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in.
What words are commonly confused with "invest"?
"invest" is commonly confused with "Ives", "invested", "investor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "invest"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "invest" is /ɪnˈvɛst/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "invest"?
Borrowed from Middle French investir or Medieval Latin investire, from Latin investio (“to clothe, cover”), from in- (“in, on”) + vestio (“to clothe, dress”), from vestis (“clothing”); see vest. The sense “to spend money etc.” probably via Italian... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “invest”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-V-E-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈvɛst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Ives” - see the side-by-side comparison. invest vs Ives
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list