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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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
The report calls on leaders to focus on green solutions that can also improve health outcomes, and warns that political backsliding on climate commitments will only cause more harm. Simmone Shah, Time, 29 Oct. 2025 Qualcomm calls the new chips AI200 and AI250, and they’re intended for generative AI inference in data centers. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025 Instead, wait until a particular book calls to you. Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025 But really, all nine of Rice’s catches in the game are worth spotlighting, not just that one touchdown, because all nine came on what Next Gen Stats calls open targets — meaning Rice generated at least three yards of separation on all nine of them. Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025 The chilly weather calls for cozy clothes, but my beat-up sweats are far from cute these days. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025 The lawsuit also calls for the companies to pay civil penalties to the state in the amount of $10,000 per violation. Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025 The forecast calls for up to 30 inches of rain and between 9 and 13 feet of storm surge on Tuesday. Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025 As someone who grew up in a Colorado mountain town—and still calls one home—I’ve spent a lifetime getting to know my home state, often visiting friends, attending festivals, or skiing in neighboring mountain communities. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
This, plus the ongoing calls among family members, maintains a powerful sense of human connection and love. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 There have been plenty of calls for Cleveland to fire him following the 2025 season. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 All calls are toll-free and confidential. Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 Lauro, himself a former federal prosecutor, previously represented former NBA official Tim Donaghy, who was charged with betting on league games and accepting bribes to influence his calls. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025 Can rural internet support remote work and video calls? Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025 Trosch denied a motion filed by the defense asking the trial be continued to give the attorneys more time to review thousands of jail phone calls made by Connor. Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2025 Bethune visited the home of Malik Mustapha after practice to watch film and then texted him about play calls and route concepts. Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025 Reality Defender’s researchers used publicly available footage of notable individuals, including CEOs and entertainers, from earnings calls and media interviews. Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calls
Verb
  • Nothing about WristbandGuy shouts at all.
    Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The mother shouts her daughter’s name.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The show then dials back to February 22, 2019, another notorious day in the Murdaugh family dynasty.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
  • This CoComelon Halloween playlist dials down on the creepy elements of the Halloween season.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Encouraged by her good friends, Gentry visits the Opry and, while seated in one of the vaunted venue's oak church pews, is suddenly transported to 1995.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Collins visits hospitals around the country providing consulting services aimed at efficiency improvements and digital health.
    Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After her family cancels holiday plans at the last minute, Nell decides to spend the week of Christmas having fun on her own!
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Miami cancels school, orders state of emergency About 10 minutes to the west, the community of Miami was also recovering from intense flooding.
    Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These differing border definitions mean Croatia lays claim to land on the eastern bank of the Danube — territory Serbia considers its own.
    Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Neurodivergent is an umbrella term that describes people whose way of processing information is different from what society considers normal, according to Nick Walker, a psychology professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
    Ayana Archie, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The majority of the action, however, unfolds in a claustrophobic one-shot inside a tent, with our heroes quaking at the whoops and cries surrounding them.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The viral recording also captured her emotions, screams and cries throughout the intense labor process.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sometimes the end almost reframes and summons everything that was going on at the beginning.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Thrown into crisis, King Gwanghae summons Heo Gyun based on clues left behind and questions him about Hong Gildong’s identity.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At resale, Kozlin estimates the collection could be worth around $3,000.
    Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In Deas’ case, the MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates that an adult living alone in Florence, South Carolina, would spend per year $10,184 for housing, $3,053 for medical expenses and $3,839 for food.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Calls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calls. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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