Word
summons
Phoneticssum·mons, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsəmənz/
UK/sˈʌmənz/
Definitions
01legal order to appear
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. an official paper that tells you that you must go to a court of law.
n. a legal document issued by a court or administrative agency ordering a person to appear at a specific time and place.
“He received a summons in the mail telling him to appear for jury duty next month.”
“The defendant was issued a formal summons to answer the allegations of breach of contract in the high court.”
Usage
The singular noun ends in 's'; the plural is 'summonses'.
Pitfall
The police gave him a summon to go to court.
The police gave him a summons to go to court.
In the singular, the noun is 'summons'. The plural form is 'summonses'.
02a formal call or demand
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal · Literary
n. a serious or official request for you to go somewhere or do a task.
n. an authoritative call or urgent invitation to attend a place or perform a specific duty.
“The king sent a summons to all his lords to meet at the castle.”
“She felt a sudden summons to return to her childhood home, though no one had explicitly asked her to visit.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Around one in five shoplifting offences in 2025-26 led to a charge or summons, with 285,667 reported crimes remaining open or being closed without any action.” “The following day, police sergeant Sidney Short served him with a summons.” 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 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/summons