# invoke

/ˌɪnˈvoʊk/ (US) · /ɪnvˈəʊk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/invoke
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to use a law or rule

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

to use a law, rule, or principle to support an argument or justify an action.

For teachers: to appeal to or cite a law, treaty, or principle as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.

- 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.

Usage: Takes a direct object, usually a specific law, clause, or right.

### 2. to call for help or prayer

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

to call on a god or a higher power for help or protection.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to start a program

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to make a computer program or a specific part of it start working.

For teachers: to cause a program, subroutine, or function to execute.

- 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.

Usage: Often used in the context of command-line interfaces or programming APIs.

### 4. to bring to mind

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary · Academic

to make someone think of a particular image, memory, or feeling.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The lawyer decided to invoke a little-known law to help his client.
- The president chose to invoke emergency powers to deal with the sudden national crisis.
- During the debate, the speaker attempted to invoke the memory of the founding fathers to lend moral weight to his controversial proposal for constitutional reform.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.