call 1 of 2

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as in to dial
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

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

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

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as in to estimate
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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as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

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call

2 of 2

noun

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as in visit
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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as in message
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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as in right
an entitlement to something you have no call to insult people

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as in demand
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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Synonym Chooser

How is the word call different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of call are cite, convene, convoke, muster, and summon. While all these words mean "to demand the presence of," call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

When can cite be used instead of call?

The words cite and call are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

How do convene and convoke relate to one another, in the sense of call?

Convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

Where would convoke be a reasonable alternative to call?

The meanings of convoke and call largely overlap; however, convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

When is muster a more appropriate choice than call?

In some situations, the words muster and call are roughly equivalent. However, 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

In what contexts can summon take the place of call?

Although the words summon and call have much in common, summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

Examples of call in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Marx himself would call DEI a classic case of ideology, a set of benign-seeming ideas that disguise the workings of the rulers, in this case empowered progressives. WSJ, 14 Feb. 2023 However, today most young people rarely call each other. Andrea Wigfield, CNN, 14 Feb. 2023
Noun
Just a few weeks later, in April 1962, the FDA received a disturbing phone call. Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2024 Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for call 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'call.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near call

Cite this Entry

“Call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

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