evoke or invoke?
Don’t feel bad if you have difficulty remembering the difference between evoke and invoke, as the words are quite similar in many ways and have considerable overlap in meaning. However, the words do differ, and you would not want to substitute one for the other. Invoke is used of putting into effect or calling upon such things as laws, authority, or privilege (“the principal invoked a rule forbidding students from asking questions”). Evoke is primarily used in the sense “to call forth or up” and is often found in connection with such things as memories, emotions, or sympathy.
Examples of invoke in a Sentence Nietzsche is so complex that he can be invoked in support of many outlooks, some of them brutal or nihilistic. —Thomas Nagel, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002 There are some people who commit murder as a way of invoking the death penalty. Capital punishment can sometimes, then, be equivalent to suicide. —George Freeman Solomon, People, 17 Jan. 1977 We began poring over the typewritten recipes at the dining room table, where I foolishly invoked the name of Julia Child … —Gael Greene, New York, 13 Sept. 1971 He invoked the memory of his predecessor. She invoked history to prove her point. He invoked his Fifth Amendment privileges. The suspect invoked his right to an attorney. invoke the authority of the court Recent Examples on the Web 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. Then, the cardinals gather in St. Peter's Basilica to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit about who should be the successor, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. —Greta Cross, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025 President Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which lets the president deport noncitizens 14 years or older who are from a country with which the U.S. is at war. —John Raby, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 According to listing agent Tara Shapiro, the residence was meant to invoke the essence of Cape Cod, a rich peninsula in Massachusetts. —Tj MacIas, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2025 Frequent mention of the AEA has been made in the news cycles of early 2025, in part because, during his campaign, now-US President Donald Trump announced his intention to invoke the AEA to target undocumented immigrants. —Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for invoke Word HistoryEtymology
Middle English envoken, from Middle French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from in- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of invoke was in the 15th century Cite this Entry“Invoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invoke. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
Last Updated: 30 Apr 2025 - Updated example sentencesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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