involved
adjective
in·volved in-ˈvälvd 
-ˈvȯlvd,
also -ˈvävd,
or -ˈvȯvd
1
a
: having a part in something : included in something
unable to identify those who were involved
She was involved in a lawsuit.
b
: actively participating in something
an involved citizen active in local politics
c
: having a romantic or sexual relationship
warned her not to get romantically involved
2
a
: marked by extreme and often needless or excessive complexity
a long and involved story
b
: difficult to deal with because of complexity or disorder
Her husband had been extravagant; and at his death … had left his affairs dreadfully involved.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen3
: being affected or implicated
… dealing with … the most severely involved patients R. J. Thomas
R. J. Thomas4
obsolete : involute, twisted
involvedly
in-ˈväl-vəd-lē
adverb -ˈvȯl-
also -ˈvä-vəd-
or -ˈvȯ-
Synonyms
- baroque
- byzantine
- complex
- complicate
- complicated
- convoluted
- daedal
- elaborate
- intricate
- involute
- knotty
- labyrinthian
- labyrinthine
- sophisticated
- tangled
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a long and involved story The instructions for assembling the toy are very involved. The process is quite involved. Those of us who were involved knew exactly what happened. Students who stay involved get more out of the program. If you want to make things better, you need to get involved. They quickly became romantically involved. No one knew that they were involved. See More
Recent Examples on the Web NBC Sports is also very involved in the production, so the game is in good hands. Joe Flint, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Meanwhile, Jordan Armstrong has kept her promise to Mia and is still very involved in her godchildren's lives. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Aside from his religious activities, Moon was very involved in international business dealings and conservative, anti-communist politics. Kaitlyn Ugoretz, The Conversation, 18 July 2022 While Chicago seems hesitant to include Williams in trade offers, Coby White is reportedly very involved in talks, as is the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Jason Patt, Forbes, 15 June 2022 From the beginning, Barron was very involved in the show, and earned credits as writer and consulting producer. Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 June 2022 Mimó was the president of the RHAM Fine Arts department’s chapter of the National Art Honors Society in 2017-2018, and was very involved with the deparment as a student. Melanie Savage, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2022 Broaddus is very involved with the local Kheprw Institute. Mary Quattlebaum, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 Dad is in excellent health, enjoys the outdoors and is very involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives. Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2022 See More
Joe Flint, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Meanwhile, Jordan Armstrong has kept her promise to Mia and is still very involved in her godchildren's lives. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Aside from his religious activities, Moon was very involved in international business dealings and conservative, anti-communist politics. Kaitlyn Ugoretz, The Conversation, 18 July 2022 While Chicago seems hesitant to include Williams in trade offers, Coby White is reportedly very involved in talks, as is the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Jason Patt, Forbes, 15 June 2022 From the beginning, Barron was very involved in the show, and earned credits as writer and consulting producer. Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 June 2022 Mimó was the president of the RHAM Fine Arts department’s chapter of the National Art Honors Society in 2017-2018, and was very involved with the deparment as a student. Melanie Savage, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2022 Broaddus is very involved with the local Kheprw Institute. Mary Quattlebaum, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 Dad is in excellent health, enjoys the outdoors and is very involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives. Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
from past participle of involve
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Phrases Containing involved
Kids Definition
involved
adjective
in·volved
in-ˈvälvd,
-ˈvȯlvd
: very complicated
He told a long involved story.
involved 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in complicated
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated a remarkably involved story for a writer so young Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- complicated
- complicate
- intricate
- complex
- sophisticated
- tangled
- convoluted
- elaborate
- byzantine
- varied
- difficult
- labyrinthine
- mixed
- baroque
- labyrinthian
- knotty
- challenging
- involute
- multifaceted
- compound
- heterogeneous
- overcomplicated
- multifarious
- daedal
- composite
- overcomplex
- tough
- inexplicable
- multipart
- incomprehensible
- multibranched
- unintelligible
- unfathomable
- impenetrable
- Kafkaesque
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- uncomplicated
- simple
- plain
- simplified
- noncomplicated
- uniform
- homogeneous
- simplistic
- noncomplex
- oversimplified
- unvaried
2
as in detailed
made or done with great care or with much detail very involved descriptions of every last detail of the lavish wedding Synonyms & Similar Words
- detailed
- intricate
- complicated
- complex
- elaborate
- elegant
- sophisticated
- fancy
- exquisite
- ornate
- magnificent
- extravagant
- splendid
- exuberant
- grand
- convoluted
- showy
- overwrought
- flamboyant
- grandiose
- involuted
- frilly
- labyrinthine
- ostentatious
- fancified
- souped-up
- Byzantine
- labyrinthian
- chichi
- gimmicked (up)
- involute
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- simple
- unsophisticated
- uncomplicated
- modest
- plain
- naked
- unfancy
- bare
- no-frills
- bald
- unadorned
- undecorated
- plain-vanilla
- unvarnished
- plain-Jane
involved
2 of 2verb
1
as in affected
to be the business or affair of this isn't something that involves you, so don't worry about it Synonyms & Similar Words
- affected
- concerned
- touched
- implicated
- embroiled
- ensnared
- entangled
- related (to)
- applied (to)
- appertained (to)
- pertained (to)
- bore (on)
- referred (to)
2
as in included
to have as part of a whole a tragic play usually involves a number of plot devices, including the hero's fatal flaw Synonyms & Similar Words
- included
- encompassed
- entailed
- contained
- carried
- subsumed
- comprehended
- embraced
- comprised
- numbered
- incorporated
- took in
- had
- owned
- received
- possessed
- admitted
- constituted
- bracketed
- integrated
- held
- embodied
- composed
- formed
- consisted (of)
- assimilated
- made
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- excluded
- prevented
- omitted
- prohibited
- precluded
- left (out)
- denied
- refused
- banned
- missed out
- rejected
- barred
- eliminated
- lost
- debarred
- excepted
- misplaced
- ruled out
- mislaid
3
as in interested
to hold the attention of her blissful daydream so completely involved her that she never heard the knock on the door Synonyms & Similar Words
- interested
- occupied
- intrigued
- immersed
- fascinated
- engaged
- attracted
- busied
- engrossed
- gripped
- absorbed
- preoccupied
- distracted
- enthralled
- obsessed
- bemused
- enwrapped
- enchanted
- caught up
- caught one's eye
- captivated
- charmed
- hypnotized
- mesmerized
- monopolized
- bewitched
- allured
- beguiled
- hogged
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tired
- bored
- wearied
- palled
- jaded
4
as in wrapped
to surround or cover closely a mind that was deeply involved in doubt about his wife's fidelity Synonyms & Similar Words
- wrapped
- shrouded
- enveloped
- enclosed
- encompassed
- encased
- bowered
- embedded
- embraced
- invested
- enfolded
- draped
- enshrouded
- veiled
- muffled
- encircled
- circumfused
- cocooned
- enwrapped
- swathed
- embowered
- mantled
- lapped
- bosomed
- enswathed
- cloaked
- embosomed
- inclosed
- disguised
- circled
- curtained
- imbedded
- masked
- blanketed
- camouflaged
- overlaid
- swaddled
- enwound
- enlaced
- overspread
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- exposed
- stripped
- denuded
- bared
- stript
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of involved are complex, complicated, intricate, and knotty. While all these words mean "having confusingly interrelated parts," involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.
a rambling, involved explanation
In some situations, the words complex and involved are roughly equivalent. However, complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.
a complex recipe
The synonyms complicated and involved are sometimes interchangeable, but complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.
complicated legal procedures
While in some cases nearly identical to involved, intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.
an intricate web of deceit
The meanings of knotty and involved largely overlap; however, knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.
knotty ethical questions