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
Forbes called on freshman Caden Glauber for the 29th time this season, and for the 29th time he's pitched, the Tar Heels won.
—
ABC News, 21 June 2026
The New Yorker reported last month that grassroots lobbying groups such as PACES (Parents for AI Caution in Educational Spaces) are calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to declare a two-year moratorium on generative AI being used in New York City schools.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 20 June 2026
And in a separate joint paper, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Lithuania called on the EU to explore a new measure to limit over-reliance on a single country, possibly entailing new tariffs or quotas.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Students launched petitions for Mamdani to cancel the tests; the Queens borough president called on the schools chancellor to step in.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 20 June 2026
The department said on Friday that the woman's phone inadvertently triggered an emergency alert, starting a phone call on an open line with dispatchers.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 20 June 2026
Residents who live in the area previously called on the city to have a stronger police presence before and during the event.
—Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026
But the new Iranian authority charged with overseeing the waterway issued guidance Friday calling on ships to register with it — signaling Tehran likely intends to start charging.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Foul odors coming from the Ocean Hill apartment led to a 911 call on Wednesday that revealed the place’s horrors.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
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ABC News, 21 June 2026
The New Yorker reported last month that grassroots lobbying groups such as PACES (Parents for AI Caution in Educational Spaces) are calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to declare a two-year moratorium on generative AI being used in New York City schools.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 20 June 2026
And in a separate joint paper, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Lithuania called on the EU to explore a new measure to limit over-reliance on a single country, possibly entailing new tariffs or quotas.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Students launched petitions for Mamdani to cancel the tests; the Queens borough president called on the schools chancellor to step in.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 20 June 2026
The department said on Friday that the woman's phone inadvertently triggered an emergency alert, starting a phone call on an open line with dispatchers.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 20 June 2026
Residents who live in the area previously called on the city to have a stronger police presence before and during the event.
—Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026
But the new Iranian authority charged with overseeing the waterway issued guidance Friday calling on ships to register with it — signaling Tehran likely intends to start charging.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Foul odors coming from the Ocean Hill apartment led to a 911 call on Wednesday that revealed the place’s horrors.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Call on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20on. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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