investments

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   Amounts of money put into a business, property, or other thing in the hope of earning more later.

   Grammar: Countable, so it takes a plural verb and can follow numbers: three investments, the investments were risky.

   Patterns

   • investments in something
   • make investments
   • a portfolio of investments
   • investments grow/lose value

   Her investments in local shops have done well this year.

   He keeps most of his investments in low-risk funds.

   After the crash, many small investments lost half their value.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   Things you spend money, time, or effort on because you expect a future benefit.

   Grammar: Used of time and effort as well as money: an investment in your education.

   Patterns

   • an investment in something
   • a good investment
   • worth the investment

   Learning a second language is an investment in your future.

   New computers were an expensive investment for the school.

   The long hours she put in were an investment in her career.

Word forms

Common combinations

make an investment

They made a large investment in solar power.

a sound investment

Buying that flat turned out to be a sound investment.

investment portfolio

Her investment portfolio includes shares and bonds.

return on investment

The company measures return on investment every quarter.

foreign investment

Foreign investment in the region has risen sharply.

Synonyms and how they differ

holdings

Refers to the assets you own rather than the act or amount of putting money in; use it for what is already owned.

stake

Emphasizes a share or interest in one particular company, often a large one, rather than money placed generally.

funds

Simply means money set aside; it does not carry the idea of expecting a profit.

Opposites

Word family

invest verb

to put money, time, or effort into something to get a benefit

investor noun

a person or organization that puts money into something

investing noun

the activity of putting money into assets

disinvestment noun

the act of taking money out of an investment

Commonly confused: investments or investigation?

Practice

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