invite

/ɪnˈvaɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈvaɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈvīt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɪn.vaɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪn.vaɪt/ (ame, ipa)

invite — verb

  • invitepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • inviteshe / she / it
  • invitedpast simple
  • inviting-ing form

1. to make a friendly request for someone to join you at an event, a meal, or anoth

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to make a friendly request for someone to join you at an event, a meal, or another planned occasion

例句

Talia invited her classmates to her birthday party at the community pool.

invite + person + to + event

The school principal invited parents to attend the annual talent show.

invite + person + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • ask

    less formal and broader; 'ask' can be used for requests that are not invitations to events

  • call over

    very informal and implies a casual summoning rather than a planned invitation

反義詞
  • exclude

    to deliberately leave someone out of an event or activity

  • turn away

    to reject someone who wants to come

文法句型

invite + person

invite + person + to-infinitive

invite + person + to + place/event

用法筆記

Commonly followed by 'to' to specify the event or place (invite someone to a party / to dinner). In informal speech, 'over' or 'round' replace the prepositional phrase for home visits.

常見錯誤

❌I invited him a party.
✅I invited him to a party.
💡The preposition 'to' is required before the event or place.
❌She invited me come to her house.
✅She invited me to come to her house.
💡Use 'to' before the verb when using an infinitive after 'invite'.

2. to formally or politely ask for something such as written proposals, opinions, o

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to formally or politely ask for something such as written proposals, opinions, or financial offers from people or organisations

例句

The university invited applications for its new master's programme in engineering.

invite applications — common formal collocation

Liang's team invited feedback from customers after the product launch.

同義詞
  • solicit

    more formal than 'invite' and often implies actively seeking specific input such as donations or votes

  • request

    broader in register and can replace 'invite' in any formal context

文法句型

invite + noun phrase (applications/comments/bids/tenders)

be invited + to-infinitive

invite + person + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Typical objects are formal nouns such as 'applications', 'bids', 'tenders', 'comments', 'submissions', or 'proposals'. The subject is usually an organisation or institution. This sense is rarely used in casual conversation.

常見錯誤

❌They invited offers for the new position.
✅They invited applications for the new position.
💡'invite' in this sense pairs with 'applications' or 'proposals', not 'offers'.
❌My friend invited my opinion on her dress.
✅My friend asked for my opinion on her dress.
💡This sense is for formal/organisational contexts, not personal advice-seeking.

3. to do something that raises the chance of an unwanted outcome, often by acting c

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to do something that raises the chance of an unwanted outcome, often by acting carelessly or unwisely

例句

Leaving your bike unlocked overnight in this neighbourhood is just inviting trouble.

invite trouble — fixed idiomatic phrase

The politician's careless remarks invited sharp criticism from the press.

同義詞
  • court

    more literary and suggests actively seeking a particular result, often with awareness

  • provoke

    implies a more direct and immediate cause-effect relationship

反義詞
  • avoid

    to stay away from or prevent something unwanted

  • deter

    to discourage something from happening

文法句型

invite + noun phrase (criticism/trouble/danger/scorn)

用法筆記

The object is nearly always something negative — criticism, trouble, disaster, ridicule, or scorn. This sense does not take a person as the object; it is the outcome that is invited.

常見錯誤

❌His hard work invited praise from the manager.
✅His hard work earned praise from the manager.
💡This sense of 'invite' only attracts negative outcomes.
❌She invited her friends to comment on her speech.
✅She asked her friends to comment on her speech.
💡Use 'ask', not this sense of 'invite', when the result is neutral or positive.

invite — noun