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
On Monday afternoon, seven state Assembly members and two state senators issued a statement calling on the board to delay the vote, echoing criticism from Uber that the public had insufficient time to consider it or the reasoning behind the change.
—
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
It was déjà vu all over again at this year’s Joburg Film Festival, with South African film and television workers again calling on the government to rescue a rebate in crisis.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
From navigating a Trader Joe's parking lot to searching for an email on Microsoft Outlook, people are calling on more executives to try their companies' products or services.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The shots didn’t strike him, but state law calls on the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate all uses of deadly force by law enforcement.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026
Pandemonium erupted in the stands and on the field alike, erasing the upset that had set in minutes earlier when Puerto Rico lost its challenge of a double play call on a Carlos Cortes grounder that tied the score at 3-3.
—Maria Torres, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Especially in light of the American military members killed in action, Republicans would be calling on a Democratic president to resign or to be impeached and removed from office.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
After this media timeout, South Carolina will get two free throws after a technical foul was called on Bryanna Preston following a big basket by the freshman guard.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
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Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
It was déjà vu all over again at this year’s Joburg Film Festival, with South African film and television workers again calling on the government to rescue a rebate in crisis.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
From navigating a Trader Joe's parking lot to searching for an email on Microsoft Outlook, people are calling on more executives to try their companies' products or services.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The shots didn’t strike him, but state law calls on the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate all uses of deadly force by law enforcement.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026
Pandemonium erupted in the stands and on the field alike, erasing the upset that had set in minutes earlier when Puerto Rico lost its challenge of a double play call on a Carlos Cortes grounder that tied the score at 3-3.
—Maria Torres, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Especially in light of the American military members killed in action, Republicans would be calling on a Democratic president to resign or to be impeached and removed from office.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
After this media timeout, South Carolina will get two free throws after a technical foul was called on Bryanna Preston following a big basket by the freshman guard.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Call on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20on. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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