Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

call

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of call

1 a natural vocal sound made by an animal
  • a ranger who could immediately identify the call of every creature in the forest
Synonyms of call

cry, note
Words Related to call

bark, bay, bellow, blat, bleat, bray, cackle, calling, caterwaul, caw, cheep, chirp, cluck, coo, crake, croak, crow, grunt, honk, hoot, howl, low, meow (also miaow), mew, moo, neigh, oink, peep, quack, roar, screech, squall, squawk, squeak, squeal, trumpet, tu-whit tu-whoo, twitter, whinny, yap, yelp, yip, yowl
2 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.
Synonyms of call

visit, visitation
Words Related to call

drop-in, stopover

get-together, meeting, rendezvous, tryst
3 a communication by telephone
  • Give me a call as soon as you arrive, so I'll know you got there safely.
Synonyms of call

buzz, ring
Words Related to call

callback, cold call, conference call, message, toll call, voice mail
4 an act or instance of asking for information
  • put out a call for background information about the suspect
Synonyms of call

inquiry, query, question, request
Words Related to call

interrogatory

poll, questionnaire, survey

inquisition, interrogating, interrogation, questioning

examination, exploration, inquest, investigation, probe, probing, research, study
Near Antonyms of call

answer, reply, response
5 an entitlement to something
  • You have no call to insult people.
Synonyms of call

claim, dibs, pretense (or pretence), pretension, right
Words Related to call

birthright, prerogative, title

favor, privilege

refusal
Near Antonyms of call

disclaimer, quitclaim, release, waiver
6 a position arrived at after consideration
  • I told you my preference for a cruise destination, but it's your call.
Synonyms of call

award, conclusion, decision, deliverance, determination, diagnosis, judgment (or judgement), opinion, resolution, verdict
Words Related to call

behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate, directive, edict, instruction, mandate, order, word

last word, say-so

adjudication, disposition, doom, finding, ruling, sentence

choice, option, selection

consensus

belief, conviction, eye, feeling, mind, notion, persuasion, sentiment, view
Near Antonyms of call

deadlock, draw, halt, stalemate, standoff, tie
7 the state of being sought after especially for purchase
  • There's not much call for woodstoves in this part of the country.
Synonyms of call

demand, market, request
Words Related to call

bear market, bull market

buyer's market, seller's market

call

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of call

1 to speak so as to be heard at a distance
  • We could hear someone calling for help from the other side of the wall.
Synonyms of call

bawl, bay, bellow, cry, holler, hollo (or halloo), roar, shout, sound off, thunder, vociferate, yell
Words Related to call

crow, whoop

scream, screech, shriek, shrill, squeak, squeal

caterwaul, howl, wail, yawp (or yaup), yowl

hail

speak out, speak up
Near Antonyms of call

breathe, mumble, murmur, mutter, whisper
2 to make a telephone call to
  • Use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency.
Synonyms of call

dial, phone, telephone
Words Related to call

beep, buzz

call in

cold-call
3 to make a brief visit
  • The hospital posts the hours during which friends and relatives may call.
Synonyms of call

come by, come over, drop by, drop in, pop (in), run (over), run in, step in, stop (by or in), visit
Words Related to call

barge (in)

look up, see

bop (into), happen (by)

frequent, hang (at), haunt, resort (to)
4 to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
  • The game was called on account of rain.
Synonyms of call

abandon, abort, call off, cancel, cry off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, scrap, scrub
Words Related to call

abrogate, annul, invalidate, nullify, void, write off

recant, retract, take back, withdraw

countermand, reverse, roll back

break off, discontinue, end, halt, stop, terminate

hold back, interrupt, suspend

give up, relinquish, surrender
Near Antonyms of call

engage, pledge, promise

begin, commence, initiate, start

take on, take up, undertake
Antonyms of call

continue, keep
5 to think of in a particular way
  • I wouldn't quite call that cheating, but it's not entirely ethical either.
Synonyms of call

account, consider, count, esteem, hold, look (on or upon), rate, reckon, regard, set down, view
Words Related to call

believe, deem, feel, sense, think

conceive, fancy, imagine
Phrases Synonymous with call

take for
6 to utter one's distinctive animal sound
  • The dog called whenever it flushed a quail.
Synonyms of call

cry, sing
7 to bring together in assembly by or as if by command
  • We called all the night workers in for a meeting.
Synonyms of call

assemble, convene, convoke, muster, summon
Words Related to call

rally

call in, call out, call up, knell

amass, collect, gather, group, round up

reassemble, reconvene
Near Antonyms of call

break up, dissolve
8 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.
Synonyms of call

calculate, conjecture, estimate, figure, gauge (also gage), guess, judge, make, place, put, reckon, suppose
Words Related to call

conclude, deduce, extrapolate, gather, infer, reason, understand
Near Antonyms of call

calibrate, measure, scale

compute, work out
9 to demand or request the presence or service of
  • rushed to call a repairman when the furnace broke
Synonyms of call

hail, summon
Words Related to call

cite, subpoena

assemble, call out, call up, convene, convoke, muster

ask, bid, invite

command, order, request, requisition

beckon, demand, invoke

buzz, knell, page, ring, whistle
Phrases Synonymous with call

send for
Near Antonyms of call

dismiss, send (away), turn away

banish, boot (out), cast out, drum (out), eject, expel, kick out, oust, out, rout, run off, throw out
10 to give a name to
  • We've decided to call the kitten "Molly."
Synonyms of call

baptize, christen, denominate, designate, dub, entitle, label, name, nominate, style, term, title
Words Related to call

brand, stigmatize, tag

denote, specify

miscall, misname, mistitle

nickname

surname
11 to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
  • The union president is refusing to call a strike.
Synonyms of call

command, decree, dictate, direct, mandate, ordain, order
Words Related to call

ask, petition, request

demand, require
Phrases Synonymous with call

call for
Near Antonyms of call

cancel, countermand, rescind
12 to tell of or describe beforehand
  • Somehow the political pundit called the race results within a mere percentage point.
Synonyms of call

augur, forecast, foretell, predict, presage, prognosticate, prophesy, read
Words Related to call

alert, caution, forewarn, warn

bode, forebode (also forbode), portend, promise

anticipate, divine, foreknow, foresee

announce, declare, herald, proclaim
Near Antonyms of call

describe, narrate, recite, recount, relate, report, tell

Synonym Discussion of call

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

Learn More about call

  1. See words that rhyme with call Dictionary: Definition of call Spanish Central: Translation of call Nglish: Translation of call for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of call for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up call? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games