call on

verb

called on; calling on; calls on
Synonyms of call onnext

transitive verb

1
: to call upon
Is there anyone you can call on in an emergency?
2
: to elicit a response from (someone, such as a student)
the teacher called on her first
3
US, informal : to directly criticize (someone) for (something, such as bad behavior)
She's incredibly rude, but no one ever calls her on it.

Examples of call on in a Sentence

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.
Last week, the UN human rights chief Volker Türk called on Israel to end its occupation and halt the demolition of homes. — Ava Bambuck, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Elon Musk laid out a sweeping plan for SpaceX to reach profitability during an investor call on Tuesday—including robotic satellite factories on the moon. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 Now, a key Senate Democrat is calling on military leaders to release the more than 350-page report stemming from the probe. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Curtis ran a campaign calling on the state to lower prescription drug costs, make housing more affordable, lower property costs, raise the minimum wage and fully fund the public schools system, including special education. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call on

Rhymes for call on

See All Rhymes for call on

Browse Nearby Words

call of nature
call on
call one's bluff
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Call on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20on. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on call on

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for call on

Nglish: Translation of call on for Spanish Speakers

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