invitation

noun

in·​vi·​ta·​tion ˌin-və-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce invitation (audio)
Synonyms of invitationnext
1
a
: the act of inviting
b
: an often formal request to be present or participate
2
: incentive, inducement

Examples of invitation in a Sentence

We sent out more than 100 invitations for the party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the right circles, an invitation to the ballet is more prestigious than a front row seat at fashion week. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026 Membership will be intentionally capped at a few hundred and offered by invitation after review by the Stableford team. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2026 The five will be officially inducted later this fall during the organization's 56th annual, invitation-only gala, where an additional honoree or two will also be recognized. — Bryan West, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 To enter, eligible individuals must have an active subscription and must receive the Giveaway invitation within AJC Insider email directly from Sponsor. — AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for invitation

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of invitation was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing invitation

Rhymes for invitation

See All Rhymes for invitation

Browse Nearby Words

invitant
invitation
invitational
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Invitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invitation. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

invitation

noun
in·​vi·​ta·​tion ˌin-və-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce invitation (audio)
1
: the act of inviting
2
: the written, printed, or spoken expression by which a person is invited
invitational
-shnəl, 
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on invitation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for invitation

Nglish: Translation of invitation for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gnomic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All