summon

verb sum·mon \ ˈsə-mən \

Updated on: 20 May 2018

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

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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

His private life was subsequently scrutinized, because in October he was summoned before a Civil Service investigator.

— johnny miller, San Francisco Chronicle, "Wayback Machine: A flush of excitement over high-tech toilets in 1993," 17 May 2018
Sierra had gone out to take his position when he was summoned back to the dugout.

— clark spencer, miamiherald, "This Marlins pitcher is 0-6. Don't blame him. | Miami Herald," 13 May 2018
A few days after the arrest, Mr. Tamang said he was summoned by the authorities to Mr. Dalglish’s home.

— New York Times, "Noted Humanitarian Charged With Child Rape in Nepal, Stunning a Village," 11 May 2018
Soon after starting the research program, he was summoned to the director’s office to meet with Lukasik and Eric Willis, who directed DARPA’s nuclear monitoring program.

— sharon weinberger, Smithsonian, "How Soviet Bomb Tests Paved the Way For U.S. Climate Science," 7 May 2018
Hariri has long been close to Saudi Arabia, although that relationship has been under strain since a bizarre episode last year when he was summoned to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and forced to announce his resignation.

— ben hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, "Elections in Lebanon boost Hezbollah’s clout," 7 May 2018
The problem came to a head Friday afternoon when she was summoned to the White House for some urgent questions, particularly on her role in the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.

— chicagotribune.com, "Gina Haspel, nominee to head CIA, sought to withdraw over questions about her role in agency interrogation program," 6 May 2018
The problem came to a head Friday afternoon when she was summoned to the White House for some urgent questions, particularly on her role in the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Gina Haspel, nominee to head CIA, sought to withdraw over questions about her role in agency interrogation program," 6 May 2018
The problem came to a head Friday afternoon when she was summoned to the White House for some urgent questions, particularly on her role in the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.

— washington post, latimes.com, "Gina Haspel, nominee to head CIA, sought to withdraw over questions on her role in interrogation program," 6 May 2018

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

summon Synonyms

Phrases

send for;

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

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)