Definition of EVOKE

Choose the Right Synonym for evoke

educe, evoke, elicit, extract, extort mean to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved. educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent. educed order out of chaos evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory. a song that evokes warm memories elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response. careful questioning elicited the truth extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information. extracted a confession from him extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly. extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

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 evoke in a Sentence

The old house evoked memories of his childhood. His photographs evoke the isolation and solitude of the desert.

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet the feelings evoked by these often grim stories affect us differently than does the unrelieved gloom spread over Jude. — BostonGlobe.com, "A writer’s writer and the inevitability of bad times," 6 July 2018 In addition to traditional hate symbols such as the swastika and Confederate were found, there were also products such as a noose vehicle decal, evoking the lynchings of African-Americans during the Jim Crow era. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, "Amazon profits by not banning white supremacists and 'peddlers of hate,' report charges," 6 July 2018 Online, angry fans have branded the con the new Fyre Fest, evoking Ja Rule’s disastrous 1-percenter music festival. — Megan Farokhmanesh, The Verge, "YouTuber’s anti-VidCon convention TanaCon was such a disaster that fans are comparing it to Fyre Fest," 26 June 2018 Curtis Craig’s sound design, evoking the hum and clatter of the factory floor, and Jeromy Hopgood’s video projections of the surrounding city, vistas of both ruin and regeneration, summon up the larger worlds in which these men and women move. — Julia M. Klein, Philly.com, "'Skeleton Crew' at People's Light: Human relations in the workplace during the great recession," 18 June 2018 Under the name Cut Worms, Max Clarke conjures deeply nostalgic, comforting sounds and bygone eras, evoking the sweet close-harmony singing of the Everly Brothers and the irresistible Merseybeat hooks of early Beatles. — Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader, "Chicago native Max Clarke uncoils the darkness in his cheerful melodies on the debut full-length by Cut Worms," 17 May 2018 The brothers' well-heeled parents purchased the multimillion-dollar property, nicely evoked by scenic designer David Offner, for their sons. — F. Kathleen Foley, latimes.com, "'Bad Jews' at the Odyssey: High-decibel hilarity," 2 May 2018 Looking at brain scans, scientists found that the neural response patterns evoked by the videos were the same in close friends as opposed to two people who weren't friends. — Alex Warner, Marie Claire, "A New Study Reveals You Share Brain Waves With Your Best Friend," 17 Apr. 2018 The collared neck is also a nice design choice, evoking memories of the 2006/07 season when Rafa Benitez guided the Reds to a Champions League final. — SI.com, "PHOTOS: Designs for Liverpool's Home Kit for 2018/19 Season Leaked Online," 13 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'evoke.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.