Meaning & use
investors
Last updated
“investors” is a form of “investor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralfinance
People or organizations that put money into businesses, property or financial products hoping to earn a profit later.
Grammar: Plural of investor: investors in the company; a single person is an investor.
Patterns
- investors in something
- investors put money into something
Investors poured money into the new electric car company.
Many small investors worry when the market falls.
The startup is looking for investors to fund its expansion.
nounpluralfigurative
People who spend time, effort or resources on something because they expect a long-term benefit.
Grammar: Figurative use, followed by in: investors in the community.
Patterns
- investors in something
Parents are the first investors in a child's education.
Local residents became investors in the park's future by volunteering.
Teachers act as investors in their students' success.
Word forms
| singular | investor |
|---|
Common combinations
- attract investors
- The plan helped the town attract investors.
- institutional investors
- Institutional investors hold much of the company's stock.
- retail investors
- Retail investors bought shares through apps.
- reassure investors
- The chairman tried to reassure investors after the loss.
- angel investors
- The founder pitched to angel investors.
- investors in
- They were early investors in the firm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- backers
- Backers is more informal and suggests people who support a project, sometimes without expecting a financial gain.
- shareholders
- Shareholders are people who own shares in a company, while investors might hold bonds, property or other assets.
- financiers
- Financiers usually means wealthy people or firms providing large sums, so it sounds grander than investors.
- speculators
- Speculators take large risks for fast profit, whereas investors usually look for longer-term returns.
Opposites
Word family
- invest verb
- to put money into something expecting profit
- investment noun
- money put into something to earn a return
- investor noun
- one person who invests
- reinvest verb
- to invest earnings again
Commonly confused: investors or investigators?
investors vs investigators
Investigators look into a crime or problem to find the facts, while investors put money into something to earn a profit.
Practice
Which sentence uses investors correctly?
Choose one answer.
Investors put money in hoping for profit. Examining crime scenes, sewing and teaching are unrelated activities, and investigators would be the word for the first.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “investors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.