evocation

noun

evo·​ca·​tion ˌē-vō-ˈkā-shən 

ˌe-və-

1

: the act or fact of evoking : summoning: such as

a

: the summoning of a spirit

b

: imaginative recreation

an evocation of the past

2

: induction sense 3c

evocator

ˈē-vō-ˌkā-tər 

ˈe-və-

noun

Examples of evocation in a Sentence

rich evocations of the sights, sounds, and smells of the carnival

the evocation of a simpler time

Recent Examples on the Web

Compared with the hair-raising language Trump has habitually used about immigrants in the US, his evocation of the Iranian menace was notably underpowered. —Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026

His risible evocations of this brand of male psyche exposes emotional paralysis like a raw nerve. —Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 7 Apr. 2026

Hester is a caustic yet irresistible narrator, and this evocation of her journey across America reads as both hate mail and love letter to a complex country. —Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026

But his lucid, sensitive evocations of Blume’s suburban girlhood should put the question of his ability to rest. —Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin evocation-, evocatio, from evocare

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for evocation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

evocation

noun

evo·​ca·​tion ˌē-vō-ˈkā-shən 

ˌev-ə-

: an act or instance of evoking

Medical Definition

evocation

noun

evo·​ca·​tion ˌē-vō-ˈkā-shən  ˌev-ə- 

: induction sense 3b

specifically : initiation of development of a primary embryonic axis