invoke

verb

in-ˈvōk How to pronounce invoke (audio)
Definition of invokenext
as in to create
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind) we should be prepared for the possibility that any solution may invoke another set of problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 invoke Rulings from a 2019 lawsuit favoring the department to stop the billboards’ construction have also been invoked by the Town of Southampton to halt a gas station and travel plaza on the same piece of land. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026 The companies furthermore threatened to invoke eminent domain to simply take land if the community resisted. — Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 Castling does not imply a change in Russia’s overall objectives, which remain the same as those invoked by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time of the 2022 invasion. — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026 The kingdom has invoked a mutual defense pact signed last year with Pakistan and Turkey, under which an attack on one country is considered an attack on all three, much like the NATO alliance's Article 5. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for invoke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invoke
  1. create
  2. cause
  3. bring
  4. generate
  5. prompt
  6. do
  7. produce
Verb
  • The deep soaking tub and clear shower stall are set pieces in the room, creating a real open and airy feel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Knight may have been thinking about the film for 16 years, but creating the version that is coming out in 2026 wouldn’t have been possible without all of the learnings spread across films like ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of create
Verb
  • North of the center near Kakinada, the storm could cause about 3 to 5 feet of storm surge, where onshore winds pile water against the coast.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Although officials have not released details about the cause of death, scientists agree that if it was caused by ordinary plague, the wider world has little to worry about.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of cause
Verb
  • Tariffs cannot build a better car The problem is, protection alone cannot make an American factory more productive, lower the cost of a battery, or bring a better vehicle to market.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As the first Laika movie explicitly set in Portland, the studio looked for inspiration in their own backyards for how to bring the universe of Colin Meloy's titular novel to life.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bring
Verb
  • The cyclists cross the state, generating an economic impact estimated at $25 million.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In tests by cybersecurity firm McAfee, a three-second clip was enough to generate a clone with an 85% match to the original speaker.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of generate
Verb
  • The election process was marred by allegations of voter suppression, with Lula's campaign reporting suspended public transportation in some key areas, prompting the court to extend voting by two hours.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Chiefs gathered to watch film last week, sequencing play after play, when defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo saw something that prompted him to stop the tape.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of prompt
Verb
  • There are rippling gasps, drums, strings, sax, a vaguely Latin guitar, a sample of a woman talking about getting her hair done.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Sellers who have the option to pull their listing off the market are generally doing so.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • Co-produced by John Congleton, the record swaps synth-pop for gutter-punk, with distorted guitars and clattering surf riffs as its weapons of choice.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • However, this movie carries a hefty $100 million price tag (stop-motion animation is labor-intensive and takes years to produce) and likely won’t turn a theatrical profit.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of produce

Browse Nearby Words

invoicing
invoke
invoked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Invoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invoke. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All