/ˌɪnˈvɛnt/
1.v.come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
“excogitate a way to measure the speed of light”
2.v.concoct something artificial or untrue
invent and invest differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. invent means “come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort”. invest means “make an investment”.
/ˌɪnˈvɛnt/
1.v.come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
“excogitate a way to measure the speed of light”
2.v.concoct something artificial or untrue
/ˌɪnˈvɛst/
1.v.make an investment
“Put money into bonds”
2.v.give qualities or abilities to
3.v.furnish with power or authority; of kings or emperors
| invent | invest | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˌɪnˈvɛnt/ | /ˌɪnˈvɛst/ |
| Said | in-VENT | in-VEST |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb |
| Senses | 2 | 5 |
| How common | Common | Common |
| Synonyms | contrive, devise, excogitate | put, commit, place |
Full entry for invent · Full entry for invest · More comparisons