English Reference
verb

evoke

v.
US /iˈvoʊk/ UK /ɪvˈəʊk/ evoke UK spelling evoked, evokes, evoking

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Academic

    to cause a particular reaction or response from people.

    to elicit or provoke a specific response or manifestation.

    Simple

    The new government policy evoked a strong protest from the local community.

    In context

    The professor's controversial lecture was designed to evoke a critical debate among the graduate students regarding ethical boundaries.

There are the songs that evoke drunk gal pals hollerin’ and hootin’ at a dusty bar, the cute banjo-cluckin’ ones, a few heavier numbers.

The Guardian· 21 Aug 2026

This strikingly memorable 4+ picture book vividly evokes children’s intense and complex feelings.

The Guardian· 24 Apr 2026

From French évoquer, from Latin ēvocō (“to call out, summon”), from ex (“out”) and vocō (“call”). Akin to voice.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin ēvocō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated