call upon

phrase

1
: require, oblige
may be called upon to do several jobs
2
: to make a demand on : depend on
universities are called upon to produce trained professionals

Examples of call upon 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.
The actor announced his memoir in August 2025, and called upon fans to submit their stories and memories of how his work has impacted them. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Pascal Struijk and Michael Svoboda, also signed during this summer’s window — from Leeds United and Italian side Venezia for around £18m and £7m respectively — were on the bench without being called upon by Hurzeler. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Created by bartender Bradleigh Mobley at Bayonet in Birmingham (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2026), the drink calls upon the nostalgia of Nerds candy to create a zippy yet balanced drink that’s undeniably entertaining. — Bradleigh Mobley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 Mullin and Chu are also leading a coalition of 37 lawmakers across the country in calling upon NARA for more information about why the agency is shutting the facilities. — Stephanie Lam, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call upon

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of call upon was in the 15th century

Rhymes for call upon

See All Rhymes for call upon

Browse Nearby Words

call-up-a-storm
call upon
callus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Call upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20upon. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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