involve

[in-volv]

verb (used with object)

involved, involving 

1. to include as a necessary circumstance, condition, or consequence; imply; entail.

   This job involves long hours and hard work.

   Synonyms: demand, require, necessitate

2. to engage or employ.

3. to affect, as something within the scope of operation.

4. to include, contain, or comprehend within itself or its scope.

5. to bring into an intricate or complicated form or condition.

6. to bring into difficulties (usually followed bywith ).

   The investigation discovered a plot to involve one nation in a war with another.

7. to cause to be troublesomely associated or concerned, as in something embarrassing or unfavorable.

   Don't involve me in your quarrel!

   Antonyms: extricate

8. to combine inextricably (usually followed bywith ).

9. to implicate, as in guilt or crime, or in any matter or affair.

10. to engage the interests or emotions or commitment of.

    The professor involved many students in the disarmament movement.

    Her husband became involved with another woman.

11. to preoccupy or absorb fully (usually used passively or reflexively).

    You are much too involved with the problem to see it clearly.

12. to envelop or enfold, as if with a wrapping.

13. to swallow up, engulf, or overwhelm.

14. 1. Archaic.,  to roll, surround, or shroud, as in a wrapping.

    2. to roll up on itself; wind spirally; coil; wreathe.

involve

/ ɪnˈvɒlv /

verb

1. to include or contain as a necessary part

   the task involves hard work

2. to have an effect on; spread to

   the investigation involved many innocent people

3. (often passive; usually foll by in or with) to concern or associate significantly

   many people were involved in the crime

4. (often passive) to make complicated; tangle

   the situation was further involved by her disappearance

5. rare,  to wrap or surround

6. obsolete,  maths to raise to a specified power

Other Word Forms

• involvement noun
• involver noun
• interinvolve verb (used with object)
• overinvolve verb (used with object)
• preinvolve verb (used with object)
• reinvolve verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of involve¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English involven, from Latin involvere “to roll in or up,” equivalent to in- in- ² + volvere “to roll”; revolve

Word History and Origins

Origin of involve¹

C14: from Latin involvere to roll in, surround, from _in- ² + volvere to roll

Idioms and Phrases

see get involved with.

Synonym Study

Involve, entangle, implicate imply getting a person connected or bound up with something from which it is difficult to be freed. To involve is to bring more or less deeply into something, especially of a complicated, embarrassing, or troublesome nature: I'd rather not to involve someone else in my debt. To entangle (usually passive or reflexive) is to involve so deeply in a tangle as to confuse and make helpless: The candidate tended to entangle himself in a mass of contradictory statements. To implicate is to connect a person with something discreditable or wrong: She was implicated in a plot to assassinate the governor.

Example Sentences

Local police officers and experts would work together to "determine the species of shark involved".

From BBC

Training involves feeding enormous quantities of data — including social media posts, photos, music, computer code, video and more — to train AI bots to discern patterns of language, images, sound and conversation that they can mimic.

From Los Angeles Times

The Leagues Cup is a yearly tournament involving teams from the MLS and Mexico's Liga MX.

From BBC

“The deals were all locked and loaded. Then, they did request to be introduced to Kawhi, and under the rules, we can introduce our sponsors to our athletes. We just can’t be involved.”

From Los Angeles Times

For the individuals involved - with ambitions met or punctured - the overlooked, demoted or sacked almost always outnumber the elevated, smiling and promoted.

From BBC

Related Words

• affect 
• associate 
• catch 
• commit 
• comprise 
• concern 
• connect 
• contain 
• cover 
• embroil 
• engage 
• hold 
• implicate 
• link 
• mean 
• prove 
• relate 
• require 
• suggest