conjure

verb

con·​jure

transitive sense 2 & intransitive senses

ˈkän-jər 

also

ˈkən- 

transitive sense 1

kən-ˈju̇r 

conjured; conjuring ˈkänj-riŋ 

ˈkän-jə-,

ˈkənj-,

ˈkən-jə-;

kən-ˈju̇r-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to charge or entreat earnestly or solemnly

"I conjure you … to weigh my case well … "

—Sheridan Le Fanu

2

a

: to summon by or as if by invocation or incantation

b(1)

: to affect or effect by or as if by magic

(2)

: imagine, contrive

—often used with up

We conjure up our own metaphors for our own needs …

—R. J. Kaufmann

conjured up a clever plan to raise the money

(3)

: to bring to mind

words that conjure pleasant images

—often used with up

conjure up memories

intransitive verb

1

a

: to summon a devil or spirit by invocation or incantation

b

: to practice magical arts

… prayed and conjured, but all was useless …

—Herman Melville

2

: to use a conjurer's tricks : juggle

Phrases

conjure with

chiefly British : to treat or regard as important

Victor Hugo is a name to conjure with …

—Peter France

Synonyms

• beg
• petition

Examples of conjure in a Sentence

a magician who conjures live doves from silk scarves

The students conjured a clever scheme to raise the money they needed.

Recent Examples on the Web

As Almeyda makes her journey towards this elusive mecca, both the idea of Palmares and Almeyda’s journey toward it feel like hallucinatory visions: Vibrantly conjured, indeed mythic in intention and impact. —Irenosen Okojie july 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025

That story isn’t about the nurse so much as the patients who saw their excruciating pain systematically ignored, and Burton conveys them as a kind of Greek chorus, individual voices cycling in and out to conjure a sense of collective experience. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 10 July 2025

During the series opener in Minneapolis, Inver Grove resident and former youth baseball coach Tim Smith watched Busch play in person for the first time in roughly a decade, and conjured up a happy memory. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 July 2025

Nor was it conjured out of the ether: Ariel had a strong platform when Karen took over from its founder, her father, the late Jim Buchwald, who was determined that the company have an intentional culture and a happy workforce. —Jack Fowler, National Review, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French conjurer, from Latin conjurare to join in taking an oath, from com- + jurare to swear — more at jury

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing conjure

• a name to conjure with

Kids Definition

conjure

verb

con·​jure ˈkän-jər  ˈkən- 

in sense 1

kən-ˈju̇(ə)r 

conjured; conjuring

1

: to beg earnestly or solemnly : beseech

2

a

: to call forth (as a spirit or a devil) by magical words

b

: to produce as if by magic

her imagination conjured up a splendid scene

managed to conjure up something for lunch

3

: to practice magic or magical tricks

conjurer noun

or conjuror

ˈkän-jər-ər,

ˈkən-