Eliciting: meaning, definitions and examples

Suitable for formal and academic settings when referring to the act of obtaining information or reactions from someone through questioning or probing.

• The teacher was skilled at eliciting thoughtful responses from her students

More technical or clinical, often used in professional, medical, or scientific settings when talking about obtaining physical substances or detailed information.

• The dentist was extracting a tooth
• The archaeologist was skilled at extracting artifacts from the soil

Appropriate for artistic, literary, or emotional contexts where something brings strong memories, feelings, or images to mind.

• The old song evoked memories of my childhood summers

Best used in informal or conversational contexts to describe gently encouraging someone to express thoughts or feelings.

• Jane has a way of drawing out even the shyest people at parties

Used when you are trying to evoke a response or gather information through questions or other interactions. Typically involves some effort to draw out hidden or reluctant information.

• The detective was skilled at eliciting confessions from suspects
• The teacher asked open-ended questions, eliciting thoughtful responses from the students

Used when acquiring something, often implying a process or some effort. It can relate to tangible items, permissions, or information.

• He finally succeeded in obtaining his driver's license
• They are working on obtaining permission to build a new park in the neighborhood

Used when you are bringing together items or information usually in a systematic way. Often involves gathering things that are already available without much effort to uncover them.

• She enjoys collecting stamps from different countries
• The researcher is collecting data for the upcoming study

Used when bringing together items, often involving some effort but not necessarily the meticulousness of 'collecting.' It can also refer to people coming together.

• The squirrels are gathering nuts for the winter
• Friends and family are gathering for the annual reunion