The action of purchasing something with the expectation of future profit, or more simply using money in the hope of making more money. In the business sense investing could be buying a piece of durable equipment (e.g. a new oven for a bakery) that in the future will create more business success. In finance, the purchase of stocks, bonds, and property is an example of investing because these items accrue value and can later be sold at a higher price to make a profit.