summons 1 of 2

Definition of summonsnext
as in warrant
a written notice ordering a person to appear in court if you ignore a court summons, you will be fined

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summons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of summon
1
2
as in gathers
to call into being through the use of one's inner resources or powers managed to summon a bright smile despite the gloomy day

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3
as in musters
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command summoned a special session of parliament

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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 summons
Noun
Court summonses are always delivered by mail, not over the phone. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025 The filings also contain summonses: For Trump, the Board of Governors at the Fed, Chairman Powell, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Sometimes the end almost reframes and summons everything that was going on at the beginning. 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 See All Example Sentences for summons
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summons
Noun
  • Democrats want to see the administration lean more heavily on the use of judicial warrants, which require signoff by a judge, in certain situations.
    Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Among the demands are a requirement for judicial warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use of force standards and a stop to racial profiling.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Continue reading … JUDGE ON TRIAL — Supreme Court justice defends Grammys attendance as senator calls for investigation.
    , FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Phone calls from customers to the company’s Miramar headquarters went unanswered and about 35 of its distinctive bright yellow trucks sat unattended in the front and back parking lots.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The questionnaire gathers details about blood type, chronic health issues, age, name, and contact information.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
  • As 2026 gathers steam, Boatwright is steering into this clientele.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • There’s maintenance and repair work to be done on his boat — named Waymaker, to honor the Lord — before Blanchard musters his two-man crew and sets out from Bayou Little Caillou.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
  • The king’s brother has other plans, leading to a dark time in the Pride Lands until Simba musters the courage to reclaim his rightful throne.
    Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Then, in 2012, a process server sued Hadder, claiming he was assaulted and wrongfully arrested while trying to serve a subpoena.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Both Bill and Hillary Clinton’s agreement to testify before the committee came at the eleventh hour, as the House prepared to hold them in contempt for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena for their testimony.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Village Church invites everyone to join the community on Thursday evenings leading up to Easter for a time of worship and meditation in the church’s Briggs Chapel, located at 6225 Paseo Delicias.
    Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Floriography, the language of flowers, invites a deeper look at how flowers convey what hearts sometimes hesitate to express.
    Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In contrast, Real Madrid assembles superteams.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • At the moment the company’s Saudi facility only assembles kits from its Arizona plant.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • By rejecting independent scrutiny, the federal government risks eroding trust not just in ICE, but in law enforcement writ large.
    Diane Goldstein, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Even Deadline’s parent company, Penske Media Corporation, has issued a writ over Google AI summaries killing search traffic.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Summons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summons. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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