transitive verb
1
: to produce (something, such as a useful device or process) for the first time through the use of the imagination or of ingenious thinking and experiment
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
She is credited with inventing a procedure that has helped to save thousands of lives.
She invented a clever excuse.
We found out that he had invented the stories he told us about his military service.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dunbar also became friends with a white classmate who, with his brother Wilbur, would later invent the airplane—Orville Wright.
—
Minnita Daniel-cox, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2023
By no means did Apple invent this concept of peer group benchmarks; these sorts of comparisons have long been available in premium third-party analytics services sold to app developers.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 2 Mar. 2023
But only a mind as electric as his could really invent it.
—Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2023
It’s designed to be very easy to modify, so that users can quickly invent and test out all kinds of parts.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2023
But if Doubleday didn’t invent America’s favorite pastime, who did?
—Jacob Livesay, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2023
Teachers didn’t invent the subversion threaded throughout canonical literature or the thorns and complexity of history.
—Seyward Darby, Longreads, 11 Jan. 2023
The book was controversial but beloved, and, as one of the first mainstream memoirs of illness to end in death, helped invent an American literary subgenre.
—Krithika Varagur, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2022
That her career has endured this long is a testament to Stefani’s popularity, tenacity and ability to re-invent herself after rising to fame as the lead singer in No Doubt.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘invent.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin inventus, past participle of invenire to come upon, find, from in- + venire to come — more at come
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Time Traveler
The first known use of invent was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near invent
Cite this Entry
“Invent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invent. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
26 Mar 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English inventen, borrowed from Old French inventer, from Latin inventus, perfect passive participle of inveniō (“come upon, meet with, find, discover”), from in (“in, on”) + veniō (“come”); see venture. Compare advent, covent, event, prevent, etc.
Displaced native Old English āþenċan (literally “to think out”).
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ɪnˈvɛnt/
- Rhymes: -ɛnt
Verb[edit]
invent (third-person singular simple present invents, present participle inventing, simple past and past participle invented)
- To design a new process or mechanism.
-
After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
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c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], part 1, 2nd edition, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iv:
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Accurſt be he that firſt inuented war
-
-
- To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
-
I knew I had to invent an excuse, and quickly.
-
We need a name to put in this form, so let’s just invent one.
- Synonym: make up
-
- (obsolete) To come upon; to find; to discover.
Conjugation[edit]
Synonyms[edit]
- fangle
[edit]
- invented
- inventive
- invention
- inventor
- inventory
- reinvent
Translations[edit]
design a new process or mechanism
- Afrikaans: uitvind (af)
- Arabic: اِخْتَرَعَ (iḵtaraʕa)
- Armenian: հնարել (hy) (hnarel)
- Belarusian: вынахо́дзіць impf (vynaxódzicʹ), вы́найсці pf (výnajsci)
- Bulgarian: изобретя́вам (bg) impf (izobretjávam)
- Catalan: inventar (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 發明／发明 (zh) (fāmíng)
- Cornish: devisya
- Czech: vynalézt
- Dutch: uitvinden (nl), uitdenken (nl)
- Esperanto: inventi
- Faroese: finna upp, hugsa upp
- Finnish: keksiä (fi)
- French: inventer (fr)
- Galician: inventar (gl)
- Georgian: please add this translation if you can
- German: erfinden (de)
- Greek: εφευρίσκω (el) (efevrísko)
- Hungarian: feltalál (hu)
- Icelandic: finna upp
- Italian: inventare (it)
- Japanese: 発明する (はつめいする, hatsumei-suru)
- Khmer: បង្កើត (km) (bɑngkaət)
- Korean: 발명하다 (ko) (balmyeong-hada)
- Latin: inveniō (la), reperiō
- Macedonian: пронаоѓа (pronaoǵa), изумува (izumuva), измислува (izmisluva)
- Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
- Norwegian: oppfinne
- Old English: āþenċan
- Polish: wynaleźć (pl)
- Portuguese: inventar (pt)
- Romanian: scorni (ro), născoci (ro), inventa (ro)
- Russian: изобрета́ть (ru) impf (izobretátʹ), изобрести́ (ru) pf (izobrestí), создава́ть (ru) impf (sozdavátʹ), созда́ть (ru) pf (sozdátʹ)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: изумети pf, изумјети pf
- Roman: izumeti (sh) pf, izumjeti (sh) pf
- Slovak: vynájsť pf
- Slovene: izumljati impf, izumiti pf
- Spanish: inventar (es)
- Swedish: uppfinna (sv)
- Thai: คิดค้น (th) (kít-kón)
- Turkish: icat etmek (tr)
- Ukrainian: винахо́дити impf (vynaxódyty), ви́найти pf (výnajty)
- Vietnamese: phát minh (vi)
- Volapük: datuvön (vo)
create something fictional
- Azerbaijani: uydurmaq (az), quraşdırmaq (az)
- Bulgarian: измислям (bg) (izmisljam)
- Catalan: inventar (ca)
- Dutch: uitdenken (nl), uitvinden (nl), bedenken (nl), verzinnen (nl)
- Finnish: keksiä (fi)
- French: inventer (fr)
- German: ausdenken (de), erfinden (de)
- Hungarian: kitalál (hu), kigondol (hu), kiagyal (hu), kieszel (hu), kiötöl
- Italian: creare (it), ideare (it)
- Macedonian: измислува (izmisluva)
- Ngazidja Comorian: utrunga
- Old English: āþenċan
- Polish: wymyślić (pl) pf, wymyślać (pl) impf
- Russian: выду́мывать (ru) impf (vydúmyvatʹ), вы́думать (ru) pf (výdumatʹ), сочиня́ть (ru) impf (sočinjátʹ), сочини́ть (ru) pf (sočinítʹ), измышля́ть (ru) impf (izmyšljátʹ), измы́слить (ru) pf (izmýslitʹ), приду́мывать (ru) impf (pridúmyvatʹ), приду́мать (ru) pf (pridúmatʹ)
- Spanish: inventar (es)
- Turkish: yaratmak (tr), uydurmak (tr) (informal, usually pejorative)
See also[edit]
- discover
Further reading[edit]
- invent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- “invent”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Catalan[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Balearic, Valencian) IPA(key): /imˈvent/
- (Central) IPA(key): /imˈben/
Noun[edit]
invent m (plural invents)
- invention
- Synonym: invenció
[edit]
- inventar
Further reading[edit]
- “invent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “invent”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
- “invent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “invent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
изобретать, придумывать, выдумывать, сочинять, вымышлять, фабриковать
глагол ↓
- изобретать, создавать
to invent a new machine — изобрести новую машину 
- выдумывать, придумывать, сочинять
to invent an excuse [an explanation] — придумать отговорку [объяснение]
to invent a story — сочинить историю
- арх. открывать
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
to concoct / fabricate / invent / make up a story — состряпать, придумать рассказ
to invent [hit upon] a device — разработать план
to invent an excuse — придумать отговорку
ability to out-invent the enemy — способность к обеспечению превосходства над противником в создании новой техники
invent an explanation — придумать объяснение
first-to-invent principle — право первого изобретателя на получение патента
first-to-invent system — изобретательская система
invent a device — придумать план
invent a new machine — изобрести новую машину
invent a story — сочинить историю
Примеры с переводом
Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
Томас Эдисон изобрёл фонограф.
She invented a clever excuse.
Она выдумала хитрую отговорку.
They invented a very convincing alibi.
Они придумали очень убедительное алиби.
We found out that he had invented the stories he told us about his military service.
Мы выяснили, что истории, которые он рассказывал нам о своей службе в армии, он просто выдумал.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
Александр Грэм Белл изобрёл телефон в 1876 году.
She is credited with inventing a procedure that has helped to save thousands of lives.
Ей принадлежит заслуга изобретения операции, которая помогла спасти тысячи жизней.
Возможные однокоренные слова
invention — изобретение, выдумка, изобретательность, изобретательство, измышление, инвенция
inventive — изобретательный, находчивый
inventor — изобретатель, выдумщик, фантазер
reinvent — заново изобретать, открывать, обновлять, переделывать
invented — изобретенный
inventful — изобретательный
inventively — изобретательно, творчески, с выдумкой, находчиво
Формы слова
verb
I/you/we/they: invent
he/she/it: invents
ing ф. (present participle): inventing
2-я ф. (past tense): invented
3-я ф. (past participle): invented
- invent
-
verb
1) изобретать, делать открытие
2) выдумывать, фабриковать, сочинять
3) придумывать; to invent an excuse (explanation) придумать отговорку (объяснение)
Syn:
create
* * *
(v) изобрести; изобретать; придумать; придумывать; создавать
* * *
изобретать; выдумывать
* * *
[in·vent || ɪn’vent]
изобретать, изобрести, выдумывать, вымышлять, придумывать, сочинять, делать открытие, фабриковать* * *
выгадывать
выдумывать
измышлять
изобредите
изобрести
изобретать
изобретите
придумывать
создавать
сочинять
фабриковать
* * *
1) а) устар. найти
б) изобретать
2) выдумывать
Новый англо-русский словарь.
2013.
Смотреть что такое «invent» в других словарях:
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Invent — In*vent , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Invented}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inventing}.] [L. inventus, p. p. of invenire to come upon, to find, invent; pref. in in + venire to come, akin to E. come: cf. F. inventer. See {Come}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To come or light … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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invent — 1 *contrive, devise, frame, concoct Analogous words: initiate, inaugurate (see BEGIN): institute, *found, establish 2 Invent, create, discover are comparable terms frequently confused in the sense of to bring into being something new. Invent (see … New Dictionary of Synonyms
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invent — in‧vent [ɪnˈvent] verb [transitive] 1. to make, design or produce something new or a new way of doing something: • Percy Spencer invented the microwave oven. • Mr. Monaghan virtually invented the modern pizza delivery business when he founded… … Financial and business terms
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invent — in·vent vt: to create or produce for the first time in·ven·tor n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. invent … Law dictionary
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invent — [v1] create, think up ad lib, author, bear, bring into being, coin, come upon, come up with, compose, conceive, contrive, cook up*, design, devise, discover, dream up, envision, execute, fake, fashion, find, forge, form, formulate, frame, hatch,… … New thesaurus
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invent — [in vent′] vt. [ME inventen < L inventus, pp. of invenire, to come upon, meet with, discover < in , in, on + venire, to COME] 1. to think up; devise or fabricate in the mind [to invent excuses] 2. to think out or produce (a new device,… … English World dictionary
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invent — (v.) late 15c., find, discover, a back formation from invention or else from L. inventus, pp. of invenire “to come upon; devise, discover” (see INVENTION (Cf. invention)). Meaning make up, think up is from 1530s, as is that of produce by… … Etymology dictionary
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invent — ► VERB 1) create or design (a new device, process, etc.). 2) make up (a false story, name, etc.). DERIVATIVES inventor noun. ORIGIN Latin invenire contrive, discover … English terms dictionary
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invent */*/ — UK [ɪnˈvent] / US verb [transitive] Word forms invent : present tense I/you/we/they invent he/she/it invents present participle inventing past tense invented past participle invented Collocations: If you are the first person to make a new type of … English dictionary
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invent — inventible, inventable, adj. /in vent /, v.t. 1. to originate or create as a product of one s own ingenuity, experimentation, or contrivance: to invent the telegraph. 2. to produce or create with the imagination: to invent a story. 3. to make up… … Universalium
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invent — [[t]ɪnve̱nt[/t]] invents, inventing, invented 1) VERB If you invent something such as a machine or process, you are the first person to think of it or make it. [V n] He invented the first electric clock… [V n] Writing had not been invented as… … English dictionary
That is, critics who use the term invent the boundaries that are supposedly being «transgressed.» ❋ Unknown (2004)
To invent a Latin word which ought to have been invented before my time, ‘non interrumpunt at _interrupturiunt_.’ ❋ Thomas De Quincey (1822)
«To invent is a game and it is really fun,» he says. ❋ Emma-Kate Symons (2010)
There is no need in invent projects for us to play together like children. ❋ Unknown (2008)
Framing the argument as though there was no difference between the 1-Click patent and the patent for a new molecule that cost a billion dollars to invent is a deceptive practice. blog comments powered by Disqus ❋ Unknown (2007)
They also missed some good ones: didn’t Heinlein invent the waldo and the waterbed? ❋ Unknown (2007)
I have, therefore, listed Dr. Samuel Johnson in some of my memorandums of the principal planters and favourers of the enclosures, under a name which I took the liberty to invent from the Greek, Papadendrion. ❋ Unknown (2004)
If we can demonstrate the fact that we call invent anything, mould a piece of statuary or write a book as well as anyone, then we shall do more to solve the negro problem than all preaching and complaining can do? ❋ Unknown (1895)
I have, therefore, listed Dr. Samuel Johnson in some of my memorandums of the principal planters and favourers of the enclosures, under a name which I took the liberty to invent from the Greek, Papadendrion [299]. ❋ Boswell, James, 1740-1795 (1887)
I have, therefore, listed Dr. Samuel Johnson in some of my memorandums of the principal planters and favourers of the enclosures, under a name which I took the liberty to invent from the Greek, _Papadendrion_ [299]. ❋ James Boswell (1767)
link to the post and scrolling down to the bottom of the first page to the Comments section: Vinci into the discussion of what the word «invent» means: Time to retire the word «invent«. ❋ Bob Evans (2011)
(Doesn’t it sound horrible to use the word invent alongside animal?) ❋ Nick Joy (2010)
Must we wait until these crackpots invent a word for jihad?? ❋ Unknown (2010)
«I invented the piano-key [necktie]. I INVENTED IT!»
Paris Hilton invented the [rat-dog] in purse [fad]. ❋ Sanktulo (2018)
For example [Ford] was done walking and [horse riding] so he invented [the model] T ❋ BrownBomber915 (2015)
you use [the 7 I’s of Steve Jobs] to invent something new and intelligent; [to discover] is to invent a new use for [a concept] that someone else has invented (or one that has existed in nature pre-humanity) ❋ Sexydimma (2015)
Dude passs me the invention my [hit] is up you [curly] [haired] fuck ❋ Megaputter (2011)
person one: i head she [came up] [with that] all on her own!
person two: yeah, she’s [quite the] inventive type ❋ Hot Pepper Stick (2021)
[My buddy] [Rhett] inventered [a new word]. ❋ Chuck Norris II (2013)
[Leonardo da Vinci] drew many inventations of [submarines] and [helicopters] but never built them. ❋ T-Bonez (2006)
«I got a bad case of inventitis, i wish i could [be like] the guy that invented [the pet] [rock].» ❋ Fistpump1 (2009)
I knew they wouldn’t mind me coming by, but they hadn’t [invited] me; so I went [on my own] [inventation]. ❋ Tgrby85 (2011)
“Carlos give 10 car [lengths] to Charles”
“Please [don’t ask] these things; [stop inventing]” ❋ F1fan (2022)