as in evoking
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved)
the role elicited the actress's flair for comedy that previous directors had overlooked
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Recent Examples of eliciting
Jonathan Tropper’s screenplay hits all the right notes for this sort of thing, even eliciting genuinely emotional moments from Bautista and especially Momoa.
—
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Support for the project Despite the project being the subject of multiple Metro community meetings and eliciting thousands of remarks for and against various proposals, public comment was overwhelmingly supportive when Metro’s board approved the plan last week.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ruiz posted about her return Monday on Facebook, eliciting many happy responses from viewers.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
Oden subbed out for the remainder of the second OT but returned to the floor for the start of the third, eliciting the frantic reaction from Rice.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several months, the officers arrested at least 112 people, their crowd control tactics also eliciting criticism from protest groups.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The film has been given a handsome production, with Hytner deftly conveying the period setting and eliciting excellent performances from the large ensemble.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
As Mercury and Pluto harmonize, your words have an uncanny way of eliciting others’ passions!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Not long after, Ed Sheeran—who had been chilling in the VIP area with his wife throughout the show—joined Smith, eliciting screams of surprise.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Support for the project Despite the project being the subject of multiple Metro community meetings and eliciting thousands of remarks for and against various proposals, public comment was overwhelmingly supportive when Metro’s board approved the plan last week.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ruiz posted about her return Monday on Facebook, eliciting many happy responses from viewers.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
Oden subbed out for the remainder of the second OT but returned to the floor for the start of the third, eliciting the frantic reaction from Rice.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several months, the officers arrested at least 112 people, their crowd control tactics also eliciting criticism from protest groups.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The film has been given a handsome production, with Hytner deftly conveying the period setting and eliciting excellent performances from the large ensemble.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
As Mercury and Pluto harmonize, your words have an uncanny way of eliciting others’ passions!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Not long after, Ed Sheeran—who had been chilling in the VIP area with his wife throughout the show—joined Smith, eliciting screams of surprise.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eliciting
Verb
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European-style art is engraved into the balcony walls, evoking the grand aura of classical theaters from past centuries.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
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The looming storm presents a test for the state’s electric grid, evoking reminders of the deadly 2021 storm.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Director Wes Anderson credited the Library of Congress for inspiring the movie's distinct visual style.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
29 Jan. 2026
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Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence has credited Fox with inspiring how the show approaches Parkinson’s disease.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eliciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eliciting. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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