What does invited mean?
Invited is the past tense and past participle of invite, meaning that someone has asked another person to attend an event, participate in an activity, join a group, or contribute to something. It is also used as an adjective before a noun, as in invited guest or invited speaker. The word is widely used in British and American English and can carry a warm, welcoming implication, especially when the invitation is generous or personally expressed. In some contexts, invited means that someone was encouraged to speak, act, or contribute rather than that a formal event invitation was issued. For example, an audience member may be invited to comment, or an artist may be invited to join an exhibition. The simple past form describes an action completed at a particular time, while the past participle is used in compound tenses and passive constructions. Overall, invited conveys the idea of opening a door to participation, whether through a formal request, a personal welcome, or an invitation to contribute.
To ask someone to attend an event, participate in an activity, join a group, or contribute; to welcome or encourage someone to do something.
"The mayor invited neighborhood leaders to the public meeting."
In its second sense, invited can suggest encouragement or welcome rather than a literal invitation.
Having been asked or welcomed to attend, participate in, or enter a place or event.
"The invited speakers addressed the conference on climate research."
This participial use normally appears before a noun and refers to a person who has received an invitation.
Invited traces back to Latin invitare, whose core sense was calling someone to come forward.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does invited come from?
Invited is the past tense and past participle of invite. The word developed through Old French inviter and Middle English from Latin invitare, meaning "to invite, summon, call upon, or welcome." English later formed related words such as invitation, invitee, and invitational from the same verbal base.
How invited is actually used
Invited is neutral in register and common in both speech and formal writing. Compared with asked, it can suggest a more welcoming or deliberate offer, while summoned often has a more formal or authoritative tone.
Easily confused with invited
Invite is the base form of the verb, while invited is its past tense and past participle: "She invited us" means she asked us in the past or has already asked us.