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

And even amid my short walk from my parking spot to my office building, the breeze across my face coupled with the warmth of the sun on my skin evokes a sense of tranquility that leaves me wanting. — Jennifer Ford, Essence, "St. Ives Launches The #NatureReset Initiative To Encourage Young Women To Spend Time Outdoors," 30 July 2019 And its design, which centers around a stack of spinning discs, should evoke different images at varying elevations and vantage points, Sundlin said. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Seaport San Diego tower is like nothing else on California’s coast. That’s the problem," 20 July 2019 This serene space broadcasts the idea that Everlane’s capsule clothes are suitable for all people, evoking an infinite range of humanity clad in dun linen and recycled denim. — Kyle Chayka, The New Republic, "How Tech Is Remaking Fashion in Its Image," 9 May 2018 Jazz history is being made at the Litchfield Jazz Festival, with acts that evoke such legends as Herbie Hancock and The Boswell Sisters, as well as modern jazz stars wringing fresh sounds out of guitars, trumpets, trombones, saxes and flugelhorns. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "The Litchfield Jazz Fest is this weekend, and it has a new indoor location. Here’s the lineup.," 22 July 2019 And she's shown interest in politics before—talking with GQ last year about her interest in and appreciation for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Sanders regularly evokes FDR an influence for democratic socialism). — NBC News, "Breaking down the 2020 2nd quarter numbers," 17 July 2019 Nearly 180 years later, the states of Illinois, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio (East Liverpool) all have cities that share the same Liverpool name that also evokes images of The Beatles and the British rock music invasion of the 1960s. — Mike Berardino, Indianapolis Star, "Liverpool FC is coming to Indiana this week — but we've had a Liverpool before," 16 July 2019 But were the religious dimensions of the Apollo program just another way to justify the massive expenditures of the country’s Cold War military machine, or is there something about spaceflight itself that evokes spirituality? — Daniel Oberhaus, WIRED, "Spaceflight and Spirituality, a Complicated Relationship," 16 July 2019 And dialogues between Thibaudet and members of the CSO evoked the intimacies of chamber music. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "CSO review: A bracing evening of Gershwin, Ravel and Stravinsky," 14 July 2019

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.