call on
verb
called on; calling on; calls on
1
: to call upon
Is there anyone you can call on in an emergency?
2
: to elicit a response from (someone, such as a student)
the teacher called on her first
3
US, informal
: to directly criticize (someone) for (something, such as bad behavior)
She's incredibly rude, but no one ever calls her on it.
Examples of call on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The document also called on the need for investment and appropriate funding for the sheriff's office.
—
Ubah Ali, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Heineman, a catcher, was called on as an emergency pitcher for the final two innings after the game got out of hand.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2026
Trump has yet to call on Gulf nations to take part in offensive operations.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has explicitly called on states to pass laws denying free public education to undocumented students in order to force a Supreme Court showdown.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Quebec's provincial legislature last week adopted a non-binding motion calling on Rousseau to quit over what lawmakers called his lack of respect for the French language.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Quebec’s premier and others called on the airline executive to resign.
—Rob Gillies, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Audrey Sasson, the executive director of Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, called on Mamdani to veto both pieces of legislation in a statement following the vote.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
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Ubah Ali, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Heineman, a catcher, was called on as an emergency pitcher for the final two innings after the game got out of hand.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 2026
Trump has yet to call on Gulf nations to take part in offensive operations.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has explicitly called on states to pass laws denying free public education to undocumented students in order to force a Supreme Court showdown.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Quebec's provincial legislature last week adopted a non-binding motion calling on Rousseau to quit over what lawmakers called his lack of respect for the French language.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Quebec’s premier and others called on the airline executive to resign.
—Rob Gillies, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Audrey Sasson, the executive director of Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, called on Mamdani to veto both pieces of legislation in a statement following the vote.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Call on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20on. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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