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 sense 2a
evoke evil spirits
2
: to re-create imaginatively

Did you know?

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.

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

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 Striving to evoke a country farm home vibe, the spot has warm wood furnishings, leather seating, and memorabilia from the Saltgrass Trail, along which cattle were driven when headed to market after grazing on Texas Gulf Coast saltgrass in the mid-1800s. The Indianapolis Star, 21 Mar. 2024 The album has a vaguely unsettling ambient intro, which evokes the ‘Master/Slave’ intro and outros on Ten. Jeff and Andrew came up with that. Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 19 Mar. 2024 Contrasting her family’s color palette, Kaia, 22, stepped out in a turquoise Alaïa minidress evoking Palm Royale’s ‘60s aesthetic. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 The company name is meant to evoke a spirit of entertainment. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 The film aims to evoke the timeless creature features of the 1980s with an ambitious arsenal of scares and comedy. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 This color should evoke creativity in the garden, brightening up dark corners and dull landscapes alike. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 The biographical thriller about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist known for creating the atomic bomb, was released on the same day as Barbie, evoking a cultural phenomenon of double features dubbed Barbenheimer, and earned more than $960 million at the box office. Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 The songs and lyrics purposefully evoke a cinematic experience. Mike Palm, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'evoke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evoke was circa 1622

Cite this Entry

“Evoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evoke. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

evoke

verb
evoked; evoking
: to call forth or up : summon
the song evoked memories of summer

More from Merriam-Webster on evoke

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