call 1 of 5

Definition of callnext
1
2
as in to dial
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5
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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6
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
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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9
10
11
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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12

call

2 of 5

noun

1
2
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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3
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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4
5
as in right
an entitlement to something you have no call to insult people

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6
7
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

call (for)

3 of 5

verb (2)

call (on or upon)

4 of 5

verb (3)

as in to see
to make a social call upon lots of well-wishers called on the new parents in the weeks following the birth of their first child

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

call for

5 of 5

phrase

1
as in order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority The bill calls for tighter regulation.

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2
3
as in put in (for)
to give a request or demand for The position calls for someone with a master's degree.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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
Their first power play began at the start of the second period, after Charlie McAvoy was called for roughing Sean Couturier at the end of the first. Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026 March 21 – April 19 What new path calls you to explore? Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
But if an umpire’s call is confirmed, then the team loses that challenge. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026 As the students rested at lunch tables, one officer described working patrol, responding to calls from minor incidents to emergencies. Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call
Noun
  • Sean said the dogs knocked his mother to the ground and continued attacking her as a passerby, who heard her cries from about a block away, rushed over on a bicycle to help.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Amazingly, there didn’t seem to be a single boo or any cries of dissent.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Service, on my visits, was a bit spacey, but it’s been tightening up; the tone of the place seems to be in progress, too, oscillating between that of a neighborhood joint, an amorous date-night nook, and a sceney hot spot.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Charles visited the United States 19 times as Prince of Wales; his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, made four state visits over her 70-year reign.
    Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • McLeod also emphasized the urgency of incorporating and said that many people get the wrong message about what becoming a city means.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
  • By then, internal messages show, executives and board members had come to believe that Altman’s omissions and deceptions might have ramifications for the safety of OpenAI’s products.
    Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Despite making a lower hourly rate than Milstein, Chan still collected more in total wages than her in 2025 through cashing out sick and vacation time, according to tax documents and payrolls obtained by The Bee through a public records act request.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Neighbors opposed to a soccer star’s plans for a six-plex in the Westside are appealing after a judge denied their request for a review.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Those riots kickstarted the LGBTQ+ rights movement in America, and beyond.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Privacy law may apply to, say, a stranger who broadcasts a toddler’s febrile seizure to a potential audience of millions, but the same child generally cannot claim a legal right to privacy from his mother or father.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Your disciplined streak works best with warmth at the moment, so add kindness to every firm decision, and people should be more inclined to accept your guidance.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The zoning board said in court documents that the decision was legal and based on substantial evidence while being in the public interest and in line with city code.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Aurigny also says demand has soured in recent months, falling by 13 percent for flights taking off in May.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Energy analysts say oil prices are set by global supply and global demand, not just domestic production.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • There also are the tens of thousands who worked there over the decades — not to mention the millions of CNN viewers who saw the brutalist compound as an Atlanta calling card.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Once, my calling had quite an effect on a superstitious Eskimo.
    Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

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