as in evokes
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 elicits
The, um, spin on one death elicits a smile, mostly because of Weaving’s disgusted takes.
—
Michael Ordoña, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Viewers consume news that elicits strong feelings that people will keep coming back for.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Conrad is full of wordy comic dialogue that often sings in its idiosyncrasy but also elicits little more than a chuckle.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
New School Barbecue Barbecue elicits strong opinions—just see the comments on our annual Top 50 BBQ Joints list.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
So yes, seeing the Red Wings enter March in a wild-card position elicits some angst.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Dignity elicits dignity, gravity elicits gravity, and respect elicits respect.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The viewer might wonder if the scene of Anna interacting with neighbor James (Shane Harper) and his drinking buddies, who are hanging out on lawn chairs in the drive, elicits more anxiety for her safety than the director intended.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
The president says banks should cap credit card interest at 10% for a year — an idea that elicits some applause from borrowers and a lot of consternation from finance companies.
—Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026
Michael Ordoña, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Viewers consume news that elicits strong feelings that people will keep coming back for.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Conrad is full of wordy comic dialogue that often sings in its idiosyncrasy but also elicits little more than a chuckle.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026
New School Barbecue Barbecue elicits strong opinions—just see the comments on our annual Top 50 BBQ Joints list.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
So yes, seeing the Red Wings enter March in a wild-card position elicits some angst.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Dignity elicits dignity, gravity elicits gravity, and respect elicits respect.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The viewer might wonder if the scene of Anna interacting with neighbor James (Shane Harper) and his drinking buddies, who are hanging out on lawn chairs in the drive, elicits more anxiety for her safety than the director intended.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
The president says banks should cap credit card interest at 10% for a year — an idea that elicits some applause from borrowers and a lot of consternation from finance companies.
—Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elicits
Verb
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So the smell of fresh fruit evokes memories of my mom picking lemons and grapefruit and bringing them into the kitchen.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Your most recent collection evokes a lot of that ‘90s grunge.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
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If such talk inspires you, there will be plenty of it.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elicits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elicits. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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