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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 eliciting
With the ball staying fair — and eliciting an emphatic reaction from Amed Rosario near the Bombers’ bench — the Yankees picked up their first homer of the season and their first runs of the day.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Magliano said as the segment kicked off, eliciting laughter from the live audience.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Trump also jokingly compared the US’ surprise strikes on Iran to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, eliciting an awkward reaction from Takaichi.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Volume is key for eliciting shock gobble.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
But the expansion is eliciting opposition from landowners, conservationists, local officials, consumer advocates and even states.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Ten minutes in, the new pitch began eliciting whiffs, altering the conversation in the coaches’ room.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Trump told the men’s team during the call, eliciting laughs in the background.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Similar to when the on-air incident happened in 2023, news of Kuiper’s return was a hot topic Wednesday night on social media, eliciting strong opinions in support and against Kuiper’s return.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Magliano said as the segment kicked off, eliciting laughter from the live audience.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Trump also jokingly compared the US’ surprise strikes on Iran to Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, eliciting an awkward reaction from Takaichi.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Volume is key for eliciting shock gobble.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
But the expansion is eliciting opposition from landowners, conservationists, local officials, consumer advocates and even states.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Ten minutes in, the new pitch began eliciting whiffs, altering the conversation in the coaches’ room.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Trump told the men’s team during the call, eliciting laughs in the background.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Similar to when the on-air incident happened in 2023, news of Kuiper’s return was a hot topic Wednesday night on social media, eliciting strong opinions in support and against Kuiper’s return.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eliciting
Verb
-
When the focus shifts to Nate and Cassie, now engaged and living in a McMansion, the visuals are highly stylized, evoking the maximalist design of previous seasons.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Other times, the camera pans slowly, its drifting movements evoking the associative efforts to make sense of long-ago events.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Namira lives in East Elmhurst, where several bus stops had recently been removed, disrupting her mother’s commute to Times Square and inspiring her to action.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
People certainly came often when the space belonged to Dexter’s, a happy hour stronghold here in Hannibal Square for ages, inspiring romantic-memory flexes among locals since the space shuttered in 2019.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eliciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eliciting. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
