evoke

verb \ i-ˈvōk \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: evoke in a Sentence

Editor's Note: evoke or invoke?

Definition of evoke

evoked; evoking

transitive verb

1 : to call forth or up: such as

a : to bring to mind or recollection

this place evokes memories

b : to cite especially with approval or for support : invoke

c : conjure 2a

evoke evil spirits

2 : to re-create imaginatively

See evoke defined for English-language learners

See evoke defined for kids

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 of evoke from the Web

Each element is meant to evoke the jagged formations characterizing Bukkekjerka but also to encourage travelers to enjoy the scenery Norway is known for.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "Concrete rest stop mimics its rocky site," 11 June 2018
Moreover, Morissette was singing about the same feeling that the such classics of dramatic irony as Oedipus Rex were meant to evoke: the idea of life as a grand joke, and a sense of grim amusement at helplessness against fate.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Donald Trump’s Mysterious Sense of Irony," 7 June 2018
Not wanting to divulge too many spoilers, Webster says her shows are meant to evoke the origin story of Nepenthe and the region’s connection to old Hollywood.

— wallace baine, San Francisco Chronicle, "Why did Old Hollywood celebs love Big Sur so much?," 31 May 2018
Posters are meant to evoke an emotional response from audiences and often show images that are not actually in the films.

— matt schudel, Washington Post, "Bill Gold, designer of movie posters that helped shape Hollywood’s mystique, dies at 97," 28 May 2018
At the beginning of the Mass for Double Choir by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, simple, flowing lines for the altos evoke the purity of Gregorian chant.

— barbara jepson, New York Times, "Interest Grows in a Master of Choral Mystery and Power," 25 May 2018
In these works, small details of sound and pattern evoke whiffs of warm-blooded presence that make the sense of loss more wrenching, and indeed eerie.

— cate mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "At the ICA, Kevin Beasley alchemizes dark histories," 23 May 2018
Both saxophonists evoke the concise, often clipped, syntax of Mr. Threadgill’s playing without resorting to mimicry: Mr. Filiú (who also plays alto flute) with an urgent intensity, and Mr. Macdonald through more of a narrative arc.

— larry blumenfeld, WSJ, "‘Double Up, Plays Double Up Plus’ and ‘Dirt… and More Dirt’ Reviews," 22 May 2018
Ernesto Lopez of Waterbury cleverly evokes Puerto Rico in his artwork in the shape of dominoes, a popular pastime on the island.

— susan dunne, courant.com, "'Fragile Handle With Care': The Two Sides Of Puerto Rico At Mattatuck," 12 May 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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of evoke

French évoquer, from Latin evocare, from e- + vocare to call — more at vocation

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1622

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

evoke Synonyms

Synonyms

educe, elicit, inspire, raise;

Near Antonyms

disregard, forget, ignore, miss, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over;

coax (out), gain, get, obtain, procure, secure;

bare, disclose, discover, divulge, evince, expose, reveal, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil;

Phrases

call forth;

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith

EVOKE Defined for English Language Learners

evoke

verb

Definition of evoke for English Language Learners

: to bring (a memory, feeling, image, etc.) into the mind
: to cause (a particular reaction or response) to happen

EVOKE Defined for Kids

evoke

verb \ i-ˈvōk \

Definition of evoke for Students

evoked; evoking

: to bring to mind The photos evoked memories of our trip.

Word Root of evoke

The Latin word vox, meaning “voice,” and the related word vocāre, meaning “to call”, give us the root voc or vok. Words from the Latin vox or vocāre have something to do with the voice or with calling. Anything vocal is produced by the voice. A vocation is the work that someone is called to do as a job. To evoke is to call forth. To invoke is to call on for aid or protection. To provoke is to call forth another's anger. The word voice also has vox as its root.