call upon

phrase

1

: require, oblige

may be called upon to do several jobs

2

: to make a demand on : depend on

universities are called upon to produce trained professionals

Examples of call upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Managers call upon pinch hitters to substitute for batters and to increase the chances of getting a hit. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 4 Oct. 2026

Once viewed as a potential Game 1 starter, Holmes faded out of the playoff picture, though he likely would have been called upon if the Cubs forced a Game 3. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority called upon all motorists to exercise extreme caution, avoid dangerous overtaking and strictly observe lane discipline. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

To continue the tradition, LA28 will call upon thousands of torchbearers. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for call upon

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon
• epsilon