evoke

verb

i-ˈvōk How to pronounce evoke (audio)
Definition of evokenext
as in to elicit
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved) the old family photographs we found in the attic evoked a wealth of warm memories

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb evoke contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of evoke are educe, elicit, extort, and extract. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.

a song that evokes warm memories

In what contexts can educe take the place of evoke?

The synonyms educe and evoke are sometimes interchangeable, but educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.

educed order out of chaos

When would elicit be a good substitute for evoke?

The words elicit and evoke are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.

careful questioning elicited the truth

When can extort be used instead of evoke?

The words extort and evoke can be used in similar contexts, but extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.

extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

When is it sensible to use extract instead of evoke?

While in some cases nearly identical to evoke, extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.

extracted a confession from him

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 evoke The outfit is meant to remind people of the Founding Fathers and evoke their idea of limited government, which the 26-year-old supports. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026 The spelunking bass lines recalled Joy Division and New Order, the jagged guitars evoked the Fall. — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 Inside, glass walls let the outside in, and a dining table beneath an antler chandelier evokes the property’s rustic surroundings. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026 At the quiet end of town, the old windmill evokes a more rustic age gone by. — Rick Steves, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for evoke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evoke
  1. elicit
  2. inspire
Verb
  • That is a reward-maximizing system doing exactly what the reward function told it to do in a scenario designed to elicit the outcome.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the only prominent Ukrainian who has demanded a wartime election is Fedorov, the former defense minister who elicited the comment about Starshield from Musk.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of elicit
Verb
  • All inspired by Rise & Fall’s signature knitwear and outerwear, the designs recast the language of clothing in sculptural forms, bringing together the softness of textiles and the presence of jewelry.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • We were inspired from how many great discoveries that went on to revolutionize science and medicine came about from looking around in nature and finding these odd things—PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests, for example, or CRISPR.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspire

Browse Nearby Words

evocative
evoke
evoked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Evoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evoke. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
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
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All