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 Here’s what to know about the Fifth Amendment, why Fauci invoked it, and if he can be held in contempt of Congress for doing so. — Chantelle Lee, Time, 30 July 2026 Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment so as to not incriminate himself more than 100 times – 111 times by some counts. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth, at least for now, sidesteps calls for his prosecution if he is accused of lying at Wednesday’s hearing, part of a yearslong campaign for his arrest spearheaded by some Republicans in Congress. — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 During the three-hour hearing, the government’s former top infectious disease expert repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 29 July 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
  • Offering a clever twist, the warm cake is poked with the handle of a wooden spoon, creating space for a vanilla-pineapple pudding to sink deep into the crumb.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
  • David is a design leader, teacher, and strategist with deep expertise in creating new products, services, and training solutions.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of create
Verb
  • Seth went for the shot, but Roman hit an uppercut, causing Seth to drop the chair.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The vast majority of the hundreds of wildfires the country has each year are caused by negligence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of cause
Verb
  • Fawaz briefly brought me up to date on Singer’s story, which stretches back to 2008 when founder Rob Dickinson started working on his own 1969 Porsche 911E in Los Angeles.
    — Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Others stood still, hoping that patience would bring a butterfly close enough to touch.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bring
Verb
  • The second is a new 15 MW gas turbine that generates electricity.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Her post came after the Pima County Sheriff’s Department released two ransom notes allegedly sent by her kidnappers shortly after Nancy’s disappearance in hopes of generating new leads.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of generate
Verb
  • The movement appears to have prompted adjustments inside Modi’s party.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The three fires had collectively destroyed at least 700 structures and prompted evacuation orders affecting approximately 67,000 people as of Monday, according to The Associated Press.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of prompt
Verb
  • There’s not a whole lot that can be done to harden them against bombs and drones.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The famed highway—which turns 100 this year—passes through bustling cities, natural landmarks, and quirky roadside attractions, so there’s plenty of things to see (and do) along the way.
    — Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • However, excess nitrogen can also cause crepe myrtles to produce lots of leaves and minimal flowers.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Series is created and written by Brennan and executive produced by Murphy, Brennan, Max Winkler, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, Louise Shore, Nissa Diederich, Todd Kubrak, Carl Franklin and Tanase Popa.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Aug. 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 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on invoke

Nglish: Translation of invoke for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All