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
Tuesday’s nearly five-hour discussion spilled into Wednesday morning, eliciting passionate discussion.
—
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
The assassination of the conservative activist sent a shockwave through the American conservative movement, with Kirk’s sudden and public death eliciting emotional reactions from some of the country’s most prominent figures on the right.
—Elvia Limon, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025
Such vaccines could induce broader immunity than whole-virus vaccines by eliciting antibody and T-cell responses that target an even wider range of flu viruses.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
While eliciting rave reviews, the project also added in cameos for the CEOs David Zaslav and James Dolan who were not, according to most film historians, present on the 1939 MGM set.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts helped seal Philadelphia’s win on the final drive by converting a third-and-3 with a scramble up the middle, eliciting cheers from the crowd for the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Such vaccines could induce broader immunity than whole-virus vaccines by eliciting antibody and T-cell responses that target an even wider range of flu viruses.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
The hosts’ artificial fascination wasn’t quite capable of eliciting my own.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely his next targets, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Sep. 2025
The assassination of the conservative activist sent a shockwave through the American conservative movement, with Kirk’s sudden and public death eliciting emotional reactions from some of the country’s most prominent figures on the right.
—Elvia Limon, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025
Such vaccines could induce broader immunity than whole-virus vaccines by eliciting antibody and T-cell responses that target an even wider range of flu viruses.
—Deborah Fuller, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
While eliciting rave reviews, the project also added in cameos for the CEOs David Zaslav and James Dolan who were not, according to most film historians, present on the 1939 MGM set.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts helped seal Philadelphia’s win on the final drive by converting a third-and-3 with a scramble up the middle, eliciting cheers from the crowd for the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Such vaccines could induce broader immunity than whole-virus vaccines by eliciting antibody and T-cell responses that target an even wider range of flu viruses.
—Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
The hosts’ artificial fascination wasn’t quite capable of eliciting my own.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely his next targets, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states.
—Jonathan J. Cooper, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eliciting
Verb
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The scent is designed to be mood-enhancing, evoking feelings of feminine prowess with blackcurrant absolute and base notes of oakmoss absolute.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
1 Oct. 2025
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For George, whisky became an emotional medium, capable of evoking place, story, even voice.—
Hali Bey Ramdene,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The film reveals awe-inspiring cosmic vistas and glimpses of daily life in orbit, captured with 8K ultra-high-definition cameras.—
Marcelo Cajueiro,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
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Bridges have always been one of the most awe-inspiring marvels of engineering.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Eliciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eliciting. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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