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
Each of the drivers received citations and criminal summonses, including for unregistered and uninsured motor vehicles. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025 One person familiar with the investigation into the fatal crash confirmed that the summonses had been issued in connection with that crash. New York Times, 4 Oct. 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
  • Anthropic was happy to permit a role for Claude to surveil individuals under the jurisdiction of a FISA court, a secretive tribunal that oversees requests for surveillance warrants involving foreign powers or their agents on domestic soil.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
  • The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister in 2024 in connection with the Gaza conflict.
    MOLLY QUELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Instead, Harris argued that the moment calls for a deeper examination of power dynamics and labor structures inside elite restaurant kitchens.
    Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The Dow Jones consensus calls for 215,000 claims.
    Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • On the last night, our small group gathers together for one final time.
    Tom Vanderbilt, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026
  • In terms of the conference program there will be Innovation Talks focused on tech and AI in the TV drama biz, as well as the regular Lille Dialogues, the international summit organized every year within Series Mania Forum that gathers European policy makers and key industry leaders.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In a typical election year, the interest in the down-ballot race for California insurance commissioner musters modest interest at best.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 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
  • Prosecutors asked the city to contact an FBI agent to comply with the subpoena.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Judge James Boasberg quashed subpoenas that had been issued to the Fed in January, ostensibly seeking information about cost overruns on the renovation of the Fed's headquarters.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • That approach invites conflict rather than collaboration.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
  • In a city where unfamiliar spirits are routinely treated like bar regulars, Overlook’s tenth birthday invites all kinds of bizarro movie lovers to raise a little hell.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Victor assembles his Creature (Jacob Elordi) from the body parts of dead soldiers and executed criminals, but the monster fails to rise after electrocution — at first.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Cactus League performance alone won’t be the deciding variable as San Francisco’s brass assembles the bench.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Traditional incarceration, a lock-’em-up and watch-them-suffer approach, has dramatically failed not only our communities and public safety writ large, but also inmates and even those who guard them.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
  • That leaves a petition for a writ of habeas corpus — in other words, a challenge to detention filed in federal court — as the only option for an attorney looking to get a client out of detention.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Summons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summons. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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