invoke

American  

[in-vohk] / ɪnˈvoʊk /

verb (used with object)

invoked, invoking

1. to call for with earnest desire; make supplication or pray for.

   to invoke God's mercy.

2. to call on (a deity, Muse, etc.), as in prayer or supplication.

3. to declare to be binding or in effect.

   to invoke the law;

   to invoke a veto.

4. to appeal to, as for confirmation.

5. to petition or call on for help or aid.

6. to call forth or upon (a spirit) by incantation.

7. Computers. to cause to be displayed, opened, or executed by clicking on a link, entering a search term, changing a parameter, etc..

   Press and hold the R key to temporarily invoke the Rotate View tool, then drag your document to rotate.

8. to cause, call forth, or bring about.

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invoke British  

/ ɪnˈvəʊk /

verb

1. to call upon (an agent, esp God or another deity) for help, inspiration, etc

2. to put (a law, penalty, etc) into use

   the union invoked the dispute procedure

3. to appeal to (an outside agent or authority) for confirmation, corroboration, etc

4. to implore or beg (help, etc)

5. to summon (a spirit, demon, etc); conjure up

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Usage

What does invoke mean? Invoke means to intensely call for something or call on someone, especially as in a prayer to a god or higher power, as in The holy woman invoked God’s mercy in her prayers.  Invoke can also mean to call for help from someone (again, usually a god), as in The shamans invoked the gods to save them from the invading army. Invoke may also refer to stating that something is in effect, like a law or rule, as in The police invoked the new littering law when they fined Demetri for tossing his soda bottle on the ground. And invoke can mean to call or conjure a spirit or demon, as in The warlock invoked a group of infernal imps to do his evil bidding. Example: The ritual is meant to invoke the wrath of the gods and bring misfortune to the people’s enemies.

Other Word Forms

• invocable adjective
• invoker noun
• reinvoke verb (used with object)
• uninvocable adjective

Etymology

Origin of invoke

First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin invocāre, equivalent to in- in- ² + vocāre “to call,” akin to vōx voice

Explanation

To invoke is to call up something such as a law, a higher power, or even a ghost. In court, you might invoke the Fifth Amendment (the right not to say something that will make you look bad) if you don't want to talk. You can invoke all kinds of people or ideas, alive or dead: "She invokes the spirit of good writing when she proofreads her work." In a time of need, you might invoke a higher power. You could invoke Martin Luther King when talking about equal rights. You might even invoke the spirit of your dead cat at a séance. Just make sure you don't evoke (to bring on a strong emotional reaction) your dead cat; that would just be weird.

Example Sentences

Powell said he hoped the models, made from recycled pallets, would invoke conversations about conservation.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Very few of the questions focused on specific conflicts, and the candidates largely refrained from answering in concrete terms, preferring instead to invoke a commitment to the UN Charter.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Cruise lines could invoke surcharges, but they haven’t yet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Kagan, joined by Sotomayor and Jackson, wrote that there was no need to invoke “major questions” in this case.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2026

The State decided to invoke an unprecedented theory of “transferred intent” to make the crime eligible for the death penalty.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• apply
• enforce
• resort to