invoke

verb

in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking

transitive verb

1
a
: to petition for help or support
b
: to appeal to or cite as authority
2
: to call forth by incantation : conjure
3
: to make an earnest request for : solicit
4
: to put into effect or operation : implement
5
invoker noun

Did you know?

evoke or invoke?

Don’t feel bad if you have difficulty remembering the difference between evoke and invoke, as the words are quite similar in many ways and have considerable overlap in meaning. However, the words do differ, and you would not want to substitute one for the other. Invoke is used of putting into effect or calling upon such things as laws, authority, or privilege (“the principal invoked a rule forbidding students from asking questions”). Evoke is primarily used in the sense “to call forth or up” and is often found in connection with such things as memories, emotions, or sympathy.

Examples of invoke in a Sentence

Nietzsche is so complex that he can be invoked in support of many outlooks, some of them brutal or nihilistic. Thomas Nagel, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002
There are some people who commit murder as a way of invoking the death penalty. Capital punishment can sometimes, then, be equivalent to suicide. George Freeman Solomon, People, 17 Jan. 1977
We began poring over the typewritten recipes at the dining room table, where I foolishly invoked the name of Julia Child … Gael Greene, New York, 13 Sept. 1971
He invoked the memory of his predecessor. She invoked history to prove her point. He invoked his Fifth Amendment privileges. The suspect invoked his right to an attorney. invoke the authority of the court
Recent Examples on the Web Near the end of the set, bandleader Lester Troutman invoked the 1999 death of Roger, in an apparent murder-suicide by their brother Larry. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 Democrats are already invoking Neville Chamberlain. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 Conservatives, however, invoke the idea of colorblindness to make the case that race-conscious programs, even to help those whose race had been used against them for generations, are antithetical to the Constitution. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Her responses are often rooted in Biblical parables and invoking of the Christian God. Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Mar. 2024 One concern over the criminal probe is that employees contacted by the Justice Department will hire lawyers and invoke their rights to avoid self-incrimination, slowing the work of safety regulators. Danny Lee, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Note the lack of time-sucking montages that invoke achievements from decades prior. Alison Herman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 On October 29, Netanyahu invoked the Amalek, a Biblical term that conjures an evil enemy that is to be destroyed down to the last ox and sheep. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 Justices in the decision released Monday — the day before Super Tuesday when 16 states and a territory will tally votes — wrote that the clause Colorado invoked to remove Trump from the ballot, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, could only be enforced by Congress. Gillian Brassil, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'invoke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English envoken, from Middle French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from in- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of invoke was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near invoke

Cite this Entry

“Invoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invoke. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

invoke

verb
in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking
1
: to call on for aid or protection (as in prayer)
2
: to call forth by magic : conjure
invoke spirits
3
: to appeal to as an authority or for support
invoke a law

Legal Definition

invoke

transitive verb
in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking
1
: to appeal to as furnishing authority or motive
2
: to put into legal effect or call for the observance of : enforce
invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege
3
: to introduce or put into operation
invoking economic sanctions
4
: to be the cause of
regulations that invoke problems in enforcement

More from Merriam-Webster on invoke

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