calls 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of call
1
2
as in dials
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

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3
4
5
as in considers
to think of in a particular way I wouldn't quite call that cheating, but it's not entirely ethical either

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6
as in cries
to utter one's distinctive animal sound the dog called whenever it flushed a quail

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7
as in summons
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command called all the night workers in for a meeting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in estimates
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's call that five feet for now, and we'll measure it out later

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9
10
11
as in orders
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

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12

calls

2 of 2

noun

plural of call
1
2
as in visitations
a coming to see another briefly for social or business reasons we paid a call on the new neighbors the day after they moved in

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3
as in messages
a communication by telephone give me a call as soon as you arrive, so I'll know you got there safely

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4
5
as in rights
an entitlement to something you have no call to insult people

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6
7
as in demands
the state of being sought after especially for purchase there's not much call for woodstoves in this part of the country

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of calls
Verb
Cristobal calls change ‘a positive step’ This new process would have benefited Miami greatly last year when determining who would make the conference championship. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 These 126 spacecraft will be part of a larger LEO network that the SDA calls the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026 The joy of traveling well, as Oceania Cruises calls it, comes down to being somewhere real, at the right pace, in good company, with the next good meal already on its way. Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026 The polytheistic Greeks abide by a strict code of hospitality, which The Odyssey calls Zeus’s Law. Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026 Did Lyric and Rome — whose real name is Jack but for some reason calls himself Rome — torpedo their games by engaging in some very obvious snuggle time right in front of the other houseguests? Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026 The bar, which in Thai calls itself a brewery or beer hall, claimed to accommodate as many as 600 customers. ABC News, 14 July 2026 Robinson, as the company is commonly known, is primarily a freight broker, specializing in what the industry calls LCL (less-than-container load) freight. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 14 July 2026 Not only will voice calls sound crystal clear, but the mic inside the headphones will ensure that your voice sounds that way too. George Yang, PC Magazine, 14 July 2026
Noun
Historic World Cup clashes, controversial refereeing calls, viral locker-room videos and a bombastic TV rant have deepened resentment, turning Argentina–Mexico tensions into a proxy battle over class, race and nationalism. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026 Loftin said his recent emails and calls to town officials have gone unreturned. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026 Fox has also tapped into managers’ calls to the bullpen, while testing additional gear in the hopes of integrating elements into postseason coverage. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 15 July 2026 Despite multiple calls from public commenters to meet more often, Tarrant County commissioners opted Tuesday to continue meeting once a month. Rachel Royster july 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026 To collect data, Betancourt said the Worker’s Circle gathers information through calls with immigrant detainees and their families. Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 Audio from emergency dispatch calls to an address listed in records as McConnell's longtime Washington, DC, residence on the morning of June 14 indicated that someone at the scene was unconscious. Melina Khan, USA Today, 8 July 2026 Email was supposed to be a more convenient substitute for faxes, phone calls, and meetings. Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Insider subscribers will be able to join live video calls with The Hill newsroom, and even sit in on sessions modeled after the newsroom’s daily editorial meetings. Mark Joyella, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calls
Verb
  • In the background, an adult voice shouts at the bear, helping to scare the animal off.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • If a street preacher shouts their sermon into a bullhorn on a public street, and a nearby business owner calls the police, who is in the right?
    Emily Holshouser July 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The keyboard and touchpad are areas where Dell dials back from the higher-end XPS 14 and 16.
    Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 3 June 2026
  • Subsequently, the series dials back to Vienna in 1781 (10 years before Mozart’s death).
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • Again, this gap is not hospitals’ fault but the system that makes hospital stays, surgeries and emergency room visits out of reach for many Americans with limited incomes even with insurance.
    Eric Khant, Sun Sentinel, 19 July 2026
  • In the final months of Odysseus’ voyage, his son Telemachus leaves Ithaca and visits the ancient Greek city of Sparta in search of news from his former comrade Menelaus.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Local immigrant rights groups are hoping Costa Mesa cancels its contract with Flock, a security hardware company known for its automatic license plate readers.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • This program cancels the remaining balance on federal student loans after eligible borrowers consistently make payments on their student debt for 10 years.
    Benjamin Leff, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Howell considers lighting one of the most important and underutilized layers.
    Oset Babür-Winter, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026
  • France considers withdrawing Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky’s refugee status.
    Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • In another concert, Mikis Theodorakis comes on stage with his son, and my father cries again.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • Since 2018, Microsoft has answered those curmudgeons’ cries with the Surface Laptop line, now in its eighth generation.
    Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Their blooms add a sense of romance to gardens, while their nostalgic fragrance summons the fondest of memories.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
  • In an attempt to regain her powers, Lucia accidentally summons a cosmic entity known as Altair.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • The International Energy Agency estimates that pure battery electric vehicle sales rose to about 14 million last year from 11 million in 2024 and should rise further in 2026.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • VisionSpring, a global nonprofit social enterprise supplying affordable glasses to people in poorer countries, estimates that roughly one in three Bangladeshi garment workers need glasses but do not have them.
    Al Emrun Garjon, Fortune, 19 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Calls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calls. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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