cite

verb

ˈsīt How to pronounce cite (audio)
Definition of citenext
1
as in to mention
to give as an example cited several experts' opinions to back up her argument

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to specify
to make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically cited a number of similar instances of people surviving plane crashes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word cite different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of cite are call, convene, convoke, muster, and summon. While all these words mean "to demand the presence of," cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

How do call and summon relate to one another, in the sense of cite?

Call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

How are the words convene and convoke related as synonyms of cite?

Convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

When is convoke a more appropriate choice than cite?

In some situations, the words convoke and cite are roughly equivalent. However, convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

When would muster be a good substitute for cite?

The synonyms muster and cite are sometimes interchangeable, but muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole.

mustered the troops

When can summon be used instead of cite?

The words summon and cite are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

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 cite Among those anticipating a move, 60% cited lowering housing and maintenance costs as a reason. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Pedestrian access to the CATS station was among several concerns Priest cited. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 Dell also lifted its forecast for the fiscal 2027 year, citing strength in its artificial intelligence services business. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 Graphite found that 82% of the articles cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity were written by humans. — Boris Dzhingarov, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cite
  1. mention
  2. specify
  3. quote
  4. notice
  5. note
  6. indicate
Verb
  • Of the around 46 pieces that mentioned Vrabel or his teams, nearly a third were transactional moves about trades or hires.
    — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Black is mentioned repeatedly in files that the Justice Department has released related to the Epstein investigation.
    — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mention
Verb
  • The suit does not specify how much of the $4 million worth of gas went to Freedom Fuel stations or indicate whether the stations have a relationship with KRSM or Kazmi.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of sending vague meeting invites, specify the topic so employees do not default to anxiety.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of specify
Verb
  • It was quoted in Wired; Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee supposedly put out an advisory warning in response; the FBI investigated the message as a potential threat.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For thousands of years, a seller at a market might have used visual and social cues — what a customer was wearing, what the seller knew about their family — to quote a price.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of quote
Verb
  • The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • These wild swings in the numbers came while residents here didn’t notice any change to the slow but steady arrival of newcomers in dilapidated coaches.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of notice
Verb
  • Andrew Brown, Park Forest’s assistant director of economic development and planning, notes that any applicant had to fall in the 60% income bracket of the six-county area of Chicago.
    — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In line with that argument, reporting on California’s latest lawsuit underscores how central mail-in ballots have become, noting that more than 89% of voters used mail ballots in the state’s June primary.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of note
Verb
  • Meteorologists said the majority of model guidance does not indicate a credible hurricane threat to California during the second week of September.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • An internal company memo from around the time of the recovery mission — also obtained by CNBC — indicates Coupang coordinated the computer recovery at the behest of a high-ranking national security officer from the South Korean president’s office.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of indicate

Browse Nearby Words

citations
cite
cited
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cite. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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