Word
invoke
Phoneticsin·voke, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈvoʊk/
UK/ɪnvˈəʊk/
Definitions
01to use a law or rule
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Academic
v. to use a law, rule, or principle to support an argument or justify an action.
v. to appeal to or cite a law, treaty, or principle as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
日本語:発動する※
“The police decided to invoke a special law to stop the protest.”
“The government chose to invoke the emergency powers act, citing a direct threat to national security as justification for the restriction of movement.”
02to call for help or prayer
C2 · Proficiency Religion Literary · Formal
v. to call on a god or a higher power for help or protection.
v. to call upon a deity or spirit for aid, protection, or inspiration.
“In the old story, the sailors invoke the gods to save them from the storm.”
“The priest began the ceremony by invoking the spirits of the ancestors to bless the new harvest.”
03to start a program
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
v. to make a computer program or a specific part of it start working.
v. to cause a program, subroutine, or function to execute.
日本語:呼び出す※
“You can invoke the search function by pressing a shortcut on your keyboard.”
“The script is designed to invoke the cleanup routine automatically whenever the system memory usage exceeds eighty percent.”
04to bring to mind
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Academic
v. to make someone think of a particular image, memory, or feeling.
v. to call forth or summon a mental image, emotion, or memory.
“The author's words invoke a sense of mystery and fear.”
“The architect's design was intended to invoke the grandeur of ancient cathedrals while maintaining a modern aesthetic.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “invoke” in context.
Verb
01. invoke principle
“The lawyer chose to invoke the principle of attorney-client privilege during the hearing.”
verb + noun
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, typically an abstract noun like a law, power, or name.
Pitfall
he invoked to the law
he invoked the law
Invoke is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'to' before its object.
Real-World Examples
“Fisher writes that Straus used to invoke an old Hebrew proverb : “Money given in health is gold.” “Hichilema’s team furiously denied the claims, invoking Lungu’s treatment of Hichilema during the last election.” Etymology
From Middle English *invoken, envoken, borrowed from Old French envoquer, from Latin invocāre (“to call upon”), itself from in- + vocare (“to call”). Doublet of invocate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/invoke
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0