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
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?
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
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 call
Verb
But just a few miles away from Chicago and Schapiro’s avant-garde wonderland, in West Hollywood, lay another IRL feminist utopia called Fanny Hill.—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026 The people who can buy are increasingly the people who have someone to call.—Blake O'Shaughnessy, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Noun
The following day, the detective received a call that employees had found a gun under a stack of t-shirts on a display table.—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026 Democrats have renewed calls to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, but the measure remains stalled in the Senate.—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for call
In February, opponents packed the City Hall chambers ahead of a planned Historic Preservation Board meeting, which was ultimately deferred at the Fontainebleau’s request after one of the board members didn’t show up.
—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Virginia’s Democratic attorney general, Jay Jones, urged the state Supreme Court to pause the lower court’s order and allow certification of the election to resume, a request the commonwealth’s high court denied on Tuesday.
—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Apr. 2026
The two heartthrobs have also become fashion icons in their own right.
—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
5 May 2026
The Declaration’s insurrectionist contention—that people, when unjustly provoked, have the right to dissolve their government—hung heavily in a country that had just witnessed the eleven states of the Confederacy make the same argument.
While Saudi Arabia and OPEC had no immediate reaction, Emirati Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei insisted his country’s decision did not stem from any dispute with its Gulf neighbor.
—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
This is basically every aerophobic flier’s worst nightmare, and Harlin does a solid job of maintaining the fear factor and shock right up to the moment of Rich’s decision to dump fuel and ditch, since the nearest airport, Guam, is out of range.
Renewable energy Iggo is also keen on renewable energy, citing a recovery in stocks this year, driven by the massive demand for electricity coming from the AI trade, as well as the conflict in the Middle East.
—
Michael Considine,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
Go into the conversation with curiosity rather than demands.