summon

play

verb sum·mon \ˈsə-mən\

Definition of summon

summoned

;

summoning

play \ˈsə-mə-niŋ, ˈsəm-niŋ\

transitive verb
1 : to issue a call to convene : convoke
2 : to command by service of a summons to appear in court
3 : to call upon for specified action
4 : to bid to come : send for summon a physician
5 : to call forth : evoke —often used with up

summonable

play \ˈsə-mə-nə-bəl\ adjective

summoner

play \ˈsə-mə-nər, ˈsəm-nər\ noun

See summon defined for English-language learners

See summon defined for kids

Examples of summon in a Sentence

The queen summoned him back to the palace.
without explanation, the managing editor summoned me to his office

Recent Examples of summon from the Web

Public records show Walgren, a junior at Naperville North, was summoned Jan. 11 to meet with Dean Stephen Madden and Heun, who is assigned to the campus.

— stacy st. clair, chicagotribune.com, "Internal investigation clears Naperville police officer in teen's suicide," 19 July 2017
Bartender Aaron Melendrez crafts cocktails that summon the flavors of the Baja countryside.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
Last year, Anderson was tied with Zawaski after 27 holes and fell behind by two on the back nine when the lightning horn summoned golfers off Springbrook.

— gene chamberlain, Naperville Sun, "Erik Anderson and Joe Zawaski can settle score in Naperville Men's Amateur," 13 July 2017
The murders rocked the small island and summoned a wave of law enforcement authorities from the United States to conduct the investigation.

— azam ahmed, New York Times, "Convicted of Murder, and Now Swept Up in U.S.-Cuba Shift," 8 July 2017
These panopticon-like cylindrical towers would sit at the center of cities, where drones could be summoned for deliveries.

— sophie weiner, Popular Mechanics, "Amazon Dreams of a Giant Drone "Beehive" That Could Live in Your Neighborhood," 23 June 2017
While students stretched and exercised and one spirited senior piped up about her graduation party later that afternoon, Dan Butler walked in and summoned the students together.

— s. m. chavey, Twin Cities, "St. Paul’s Circus Juventas prepares for big Smithsonian shows," 15 June 2017
Take one common specter regularly summoned: the U.S. Federal Reserve.

— richard barley, WSJ, "Why the Fed Is an Overrated Risk for Emerging Markets," 15 June 2017
May reportedly trespassed onto the site and triggered a security alarm, which summoned deputies.

— robert salonga, The Mercury News, "Jury awards $1.1 million to man bit by police dog while rescuing cat," 14 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of summon

Middle English somnen, somonen, from Anglo-French somondre, from Vulgar Latin *summonere, alteration of Latin summonēre to remind secretly, from sub- secretly + monēre to warn — more at sub-, mind

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of summon

summon, call, cite, convoke, convene, muster mean to demand the presence of. summon implies the exercise of authority. was summoned to answer charges call may be used less formally for summon . called the legislature into special session cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge. cited for drunken driving convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes. convoked a Vatican council convene is somewhat less formal than convoke . convened the students muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole. mustered the troops

SUMMON Defined for English Language Learners

summon

play

verb

Definition of summon for English Language Learners

: to order (someone) to come to a place
: to order (someone) to appear in a court of law
: to ask for (someone or something) to come : to send or call for (someone or something)

SUMMON Defined for Kids

summon

play

verb sum·mon \ˈsə-mən\

Definition of summon for Students

summoned

;

summoning

1 : to call or send for : convene The clerk … summoned a bellboy and handed him a key. “Take this gentleman to his room!” — E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
2 : to order to appear before a court of law
3 : to call into being : arouse She tried to summon up courage.