invoke

verb

in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking

transitive verb

1
a
: to petition for help or support
b
: to appeal to or cite as authority
2
: to call forth by incantation : conjure
3
: to make an earnest request for : solicit
4
: to put into effect or operation : implement
5
invoker noun

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.

Examples of invoke in a Sentence

Nietzsche is so complex that he can be invoked in support of many outlooks, some of them brutal or nihilistic. Thomas Nagel, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002
There are some people who commit murder as a way of invoking the death penalty. Capital punishment can sometimes, then, be equivalent to suicide. George Freeman Solomon, People, 17 Jan. 1977
We began poring over the typewritten recipes at the dining room table, where I foolishly invoked the name of Julia Child … Gael Greene, New York, 13 Sept. 1971
He invoked the memory of his predecessor. She invoked history to prove her point. He invoked his Fifth Amendment privileges. The suspect invoked his right to an attorney. invoke the authority of the court
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One option for Trump to get around the prohibition on troops conducting law enforcement would be to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act, which aimed to suppress armed rebellion or insurrection. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025 Like Vance, Cuomo has even become a reply guy on X, striking up conversations with total randos who make the mistake of invoking his name. Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025 This one will certainly invoke Baby Shark vibes with the familiar melody, while teaching kids all about swimming skills. Annabelle Canela, Parents, 8 Aug. 2025 More Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images What To Know Trump addressed the ongoing effort to block his tariffs in the courts, which prompted him to take to Truth Social and urge the courts to keep away or risk severe consequences—even invoking the Great Depression. Peter Aitken hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for invoke

Word History

Etymology

Middle English envoken, from Middle French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from in- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of invoke was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Invoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invoke. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

invoke

verb
in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking
1
: to call on for aid or protection (as in prayer)
2
: to call forth by magic : conjure
invoke spirits
3
: to appeal to as an authority or for support
invoke a law

Legal Definition

invoke

transitive verb
in·​voke in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
invoked; invoking
1
: to appeal to as furnishing authority or motive
2
: to put into legal effect or call for the observance of : enforce
invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege
3
: to introduce or put into operation
invoking economic sanctions
4
: to be the cause of
regulations that invoke problems in enforcement

More from Merriam-Webster on invoke

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