Finesentence

Invoke Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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invoke

in-voke

🇺🇸 /ˌɪnˈvoʊk/ · 🇬🇧 /ɪnvˈəʊk/

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

to call upon for help or inspiration

To invoke means to call upon for help or inspiration. It is often used in a spiritual or religious context, such as invoking a higher power for guidance. It can also refer to invoking a particular emotion or feeling.

Synonyms

appeal to, call upon, summon.

Examples of usage

  • During the ceremony, the priest invoked the blessings of the gods.
  • She invoked her inner strength to face the challenges ahead.
  • The artist invoked a sense of nostalgia with her paintings.
Context #2 | Verb

to cite or appeal to as an authority

Another meaning of invoke is to cite or appeal to as an authority. This can be seen in legal contexts when invoking a precedent or in academic writing when invoking the work of a scholar.

Synonyms

cite, mention, refer to.

Examples of usage

  • The lawyer invoked a previous court ruling to support her argument.
  • The author invoked several studies to bolster her research.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Quick facts about “invoke”

Invoke is a 2-syllable verb (in-voke). It is pronounced /ˌɪnˈvoʊk/ in American English and /ɪnvˈəʊk/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 6 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #10,085 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'invoke'

The word 'invoke' comes from the Latin word 'invocare', which means 'to call upon'. It has been used in English since the 15th century. The concept of invoking higher powers or authorities has been present in various cultures and religions throughout history.

See also: invocation, invocations.

Rhymes

Invoke rhymes with doke, misspoke, moke, roque, spoke, broke, smoke and stroke.

See all rhymes →

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,085, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.