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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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 summons
Noun
Offenses like blowing red lights or running stop signs are currently handled via civil summonses. Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 25 June 2026 Police said 10 people in the area around the parade were arrested and three others were issued summonses, on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to felony assault. Anthony Izaguirre, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026
Verb
Favreau’s work is clearly indebted to that lineage, and Grogu’s solo jaunt actually summons a bit of whimsy that was otherwise missing. David Sims, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026 With sleight of hand and a pair of milky opaque contacts, Suzanne again successfully summons the man’s dead wife, so much so that he’s inspired to resume painting for the first time since her passing. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for summons
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summons
Noun
  • San Jose argues there's no reasonable expectation of privacy on public roads, pointing to a California appeals court decision that allowed police to access traffic camera footage of a murder suspect without a warrant.
    Maddie White, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • An extraditable arrest warrant was obtained on charges of first-degree identity theft, second-degree money laundering, first-degree larceny, criminal impersonation and second-degree telephone fraud.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The Fathom is the first product built on what Ford calls the Universal Electric Vehicle platform, which will be the basic architecture for producing multiple upcoming electric cars, from compacts to vans, Bergg said.
    Michael Ballaban, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Each buoy is attached to a rope and can be thrown to someone in the water while another person calls 911.
    Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The increasingly popular annual staple for cat lovers, created and curated by Will Braden, gathers the best cat videos from across digital media.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Argentina’s shale output is up 28% year-on-year as the country’s pivot to become an energy supplier — rather than buyer — gathers pace.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Catherine’s story line evokes a feverish what-if scenario in which a survivor musters the requisite recklessness, talent for murder, and wig collection to mete out retribution.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
  • Every writer on our longlist brilliantly musters the power of words on the page to take the reader to new places, to see old places from new angles, to change minds.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • Reuters could not immediately independently verify the information, but a spokesman for the Times said Cole is disclosing the subpoena.
    Ernest Scheyder, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Ontario International Airport Authority Ontario Airport officials said that federal agents were also on the premises on Tuesday with subpoenas requesting documents related to airport contracts.
    Zach Boetto, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Verb
  • Panthea invites her friend Affe, Karen, Amanda, and Amanda’s friend Gena to an Iranian New Year’s event at a Persian restaurant.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In criticism, everything counts, including the obvious, and Nolan’s film positively invites the comparison, dressing itself—in spite of its deference to current mass-market sensibilities—in the dignity of a classic.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The network team follows one pattern, the cloud team follows another, and the SRE team assembles a timeline under pressure from multiple dashboards.
    Kannan Kothandaraman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • All the while, Myers assembles a possible titan in Philly, and the Warriors are left staring down the pipe at another depressing play-in tournament exit at absolute best.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
Noun
  • The office of Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a civil petition — known as a writ of quo warranto — Thursday to remove Camille Johnston from the Ray County prosecutor’s post, alleging misconduct.
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
  • Nothing can prepare you for the album art writ large on the inside flap, but the lavish haircut photos galore and commentary from folks like producer Bob Rock and then-bassist Jason Newsted are illuminating.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Summons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summons. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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