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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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
Braids and the Bonds of Sisterhood The act of braiding each other’s hair throughout history is what Gibson calls an intimate one. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026 The line began with Stellina in 2018, which Vaonis calls the world's first smart telescope, followed by book-sized Hestia and the compact Vespera II. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 Rand said the application proposes demolishing the building at this time, but calls it a very early first step and adds that the owner is open to a compromise. — Gio Insignares, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Fun Fact → While nearly every other company calls Texas home, refiner PBF is headquartered in a suburban office park just off a highway in New Jersey. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 Solange Omon Omon is originally from Cameroon but now calls Maine home. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 Cohen calls the roughly 100 feet around a house the home ignition zone. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 For Rukhsar Amrohi, who also calls Kumari Chhoti Ammi, the film is a token of the couple’s love, made by her father out of his love for Kumari. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 In keeping with that anal imagery, the movie often calls to mind a colonoscopy, from the probing POV of the endoscopic camera. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
Google has announced a fresh set of Android updates that enlist artificial intelligence to defend against human fraud, expanding AI's role in detecting and blocking scam attempts via messages and calls. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Mahajan’s family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides. — Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 He was constantly interrupted by phone calls, the glare of television lights and accepted his good wishes of his friends across the country. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026 Never seeing another text pop up on my phone or getting one of your unexpected calls? — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 During these calls, RealPage employees collected data on occupancy rates, floor plans, rent levels, concessions, and a slew of other details about owners, managers, and properties. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 Fletcher and his fellow tailbacks took advantage of the play calls. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026 This is the first line of defense for head injuries, with a vast majority of the communication coming as calls to concussion spotters monitoring for the need to pull players off the ice for evaluation. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The petition calls for a waiver that would allow political groups to use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calls
Verb
  • Lil’ Randy shouts repeatedly as he is hauled off, a great ending to a pretty great episode.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the video, the child shouts for help as Sky Zone staff intervene.
    — Gio Insignares, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Canada dials up trade diversification efforts As the US hosts G20 trade ministers in Wisconsin, Canada is taking the opportunity to strengthen its ties to other countries.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • When Lane Kiffin dials a number, the person on the other end usually answers and takes the call.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the scene, Ullman visits Wendy and Danny in the hospital and tells them that no evidence of the supernatural has been found back at the hotel.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
  • All this is very much on his mind when Roy later visits the Lady Greyhounds’ coaches’ office, where Nate has also stopped by for a visit.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That largely cancels the trade winds that usually push warm water toward Asia.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Under Department of Transportation guidelines, a traveler is entitled to a refund regardless of the reason if an airline cancels a flight, and the customer chooses not to travel.
    — Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Alongside India, Lauder considers the Middle East as having major long-term growth potential.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Outdoor safety As a parent herself, Arnaout considers street and pedestrian safety her primary concern on Halloween night.
    — Lina Ruiz October 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In the other van, Gen cries tears of pride and fulfillment after Aesha and Nathan praise her performance in the last charter.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • On the floor, my brother cries into the carpet, pawing at the ground.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • On the politics, his statement summons a legacy-killing disaster by wagering that nothing will go wrong, when something likely will go wrong during his presidency.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • King drops elephants through the air, erects wobbly Towers of Babel, lets characters run amok with depictions of her own pencils, and then summons a hand with a knife to clear a clean space on the page.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • To estimates that roughly 30% of customers are non-Asian, many drawn by the growing popularity of Asian cuisine and the convenience of prepared sauces, seasonings and pantry staples that simplify home cooking.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The volume of content Netflix licensed in Spain rose from 2,420 hours in 2024 to 2,829 in 2025, including around 700 hours from RTVE and Atresmedia, up from 543 a year earlier, Ampere Analysis estimates.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Calls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calls. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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