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
That was the easiest bonus to call on the evening.
—
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Tuareg representatives, meanwhile, have called on Russian forces to leave Mali entirely, predicting the eventual fall of the junta.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
In the run-up to the Biennale, politicians, artists, and activists alike had called on the show to drop Israel and Russia from the show.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 9 May 2026
After the game, Clark appeared to suggest certain fouls were not called on her throughout the game.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
More than a year after much of Pacific Palisades was leveled by fire, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a motion calling on various departments to enhance red flag warning declarations to improve preparedness.
—City News Service, Daily News, 8 May 2026
The price raised hackles among fans and politicians alike, with many calling on FIFA to foot the bill.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
In addition to texting, T-Satellite can power video calls on WhatsApp.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Tuareg representatives, meanwhile, have called on Russian forces to leave Mali entirely, predicting the eventual fall of the junta.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
In the run-up to the Biennale, politicians, artists, and activists alike had called on the show to drop Israel and Russia from the show.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 9 May 2026
After the game, Clark appeared to suggest certain fouls were not called on her throughout the game.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
There are no bigger whiners in the league than LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton, who have in their minds never committed a foul and are always fouled with no call on any possession.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
More than a year after much of Pacific Palisades was leveled by fire, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a motion calling on various departments to enhance red flag warning declarations to improve preparedness.
—City News Service, Daily News, 8 May 2026
The price raised hackles among fans and politicians alike, with many calling on FIFA to foot the bill.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
In addition to texting, T-Satellite can power video calls on WhatsApp.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Call on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20on. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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