Definition of: involve

(in·volv′) v.t. ·volved, ·volv·ing
1. To have as a necessary circumstance, condition, or implication.
2. To have effect on; affect: The law will involve many people.
3. To draw within itself; swallow up; overwhelm: The whirlpool involved ten persons.
4. To draw into entanglement, trouble, etc.; implicate; entangle.
5. To make intricate or difficult; complicate.
6. To hold the attention of; engross: He was involved in his work.
7. To wrap up or infold; cover or conceal; envelop: to involve a place in darkness.
8. To wind in spirals or curves; coil, especially intricately.
9. Math. To raise (a number) to a given power. [<L involvere roll into or up <in- in + volvere roll]
—in·volve′ment noun Synonyms: complicate, embarrass, embroil, entangle, implicate, imply, include, overwhelm. To involve is to roll or wind up with or in, so as to combine inextricably or very nearly inseparably; as, The nation is involved in war; The bookkeeper's accounts, or the writer's sentences, are involved. Involve is a stronger word than implicate, denoting more complete entanglement. As applied to persons, implicate applies only to that which is wrong, while involve is more commonly used of that which is unfortunate; one is implicated in a crime, involved in embarrassments, misfortunes, or perplexities. One is embroiled in a serious conflict, entangled in a conspiracy, which, once the situation is complicated by treachery, may overwhelm the participants who are involved. As regards logical connection, that which is included is usually expressly stated; that which is implied is not stated, but is naturally to be inferred; that which is involved is necessarily to be inferred, as, a slate roof is included in the contract; that the roof shall be watertight is implied; the contrary supposition involves an absurdity. Compare COMPLEX, PERPLEX. Antonyms: disconnect, disentangle, distinguish, explicate, extricate, remove, separate.