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View synonyms for

invoke

[ in-vohk ]

verb (used with object)

invoked, invoking.
  1. to call for with earnest desire; make supplication or pray for:

    to invoke God's mercy.

  2. to call on (a deity, Muse, etc.), as in prayer or supplication.
  3. to declare to be binding or in effect:

    to invoke the law;

    to invoke a veto.

  4. to appeal to, as for confirmation.
  5. to petition or call on for help or aid.
  6. to call forth or upon (a spirit) by incantation.
  7. Computers. to cause to be displayed, opened, or executed by clicking on a link, entering a search term, changing a parameter, etc.:

    Press and hold the R key to temporarily invoke the Rotate View tool, then drag your document to rotate.

  8. to cause, call forth, or bring about.


invoke

/ ɪˈəʊ /

verb

  1. to call upon (an agent, esp God or another deity) for help, inspiration, etc
  2. to put (a law, penalty, etc) into use

    the union invoked the dispute procedure

  3. to appeal to (an outside agent or authority) for confirmation, corroboration, etc
  4. to implore or beg (help, etc)
  5. to summon (a spirit, demon, etc); conjure up
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

Invoke is sometimes wrongly used where evoke is meant: this proposal evoked (not invoked ) a strong reaction
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Derived Forms

  • ˈǰ, noun
  • ˈdz, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ··· adjective
  • ·ǰ· noun
  • ··ǰ verb (used with object) reinvoked reinvoking
  • un···· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of invoke1

First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin Աdz, equivalent to in- in- 2 + dz “to call,” akin to ō voice
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Word History and Origins

Origin of invoke1

C15: from Latin indz to call upon, appeal to, from dz to call
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

On the immigration front, the regime has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which permits the president to detain and deport people from an enemy nation without judicial review.

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On Fox, Johnson invoked another GOP shibboleth, which is that rooting out fraud, waste and abuse would help keep Medicaid solvent.

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And, I mean, there's some ways in which the show kind of invokes some of that, but so far, I think it's doing a really excellent job… And I'm interested to see where it goes.

From

Tellingly, she has often invoked history in her effort to rally support.

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The administration invoked a wartime law to deport dozens more individuals who were alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, to El Salvador last month.

From

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Related Words

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More About Invoke

does invoke mean?

Invoke means to intensely call for something or call on someone, especially as in a prayer to a god or higher power, as in The holy woman invoked God’s mercy in her prayers.  

Invoke can also mean to call for help from someone (again, usually a god), as in The shamans invoked the gods to save them from the invading army. 

Invoke may also refer to stating that something is in effect, like a law or rule, as in The police invoked the new littering law when they fined Demetri for tossing his soda bottle on the ground. 

And invoke can mean to call or conjure a spirit or demon, as in The warlock invoked a group of infernal imps to do his evil bidding. 

Example: The ritual is meant to invoke the wrath of the gods and bring misfortune to the people’s enemies.

Where does invoke come from?

The first records of the word invoke come from around 1480. It comes from the Latin indz, meaning “to call on.” The act of invoking involves calling on someone, usually a god, for help or aid.

The word invoke is most often used in terms of religion or the law. Often, we pray to make a request to a supreme being for something, such as forgiveness, help, or mercy.

In law, a legal act or rule is invoked, or declared, to make clear that is being applied to a situation. For example, Americans will commonly invoke the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution when they don’t want to give a testimony that they believe will incriminate themselves.

Did you know … ?

are some other forms related to invoke?

  • invoker (noun)
  • invocable (adjective)
  • reinvoke (verb)
  • uninvocable (adjective)

are some synonyms for invoke?

are some words that share a root or word element with invoke?

are some words that often get used in discussing invoke?

How is invoke used in real life?

Invoke is most often used in reference to religion or laws.

Try using invoke!

Is invoke used correctly in the following sentence?

Mighty Heracles invoked the god Zeus for the strength to defeat the wicked Hydra.

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