call 1 of 2

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2
as in to dial
to make a telephone call to use this cell phone to call me if there's an emergency

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3
4
5
as in to consider
to think of in a particular way I wouldn't quite call that cheating, but it's not entirely ethical either

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6
as in to cry
to utter one's distinctive animal sound the dog called whenever it flushed a quail

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7
as in to summon
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command called all the night workers in for a meeting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

8
as in to estimate
to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement let's call that five feet for now, and we'll measure it out later

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9
10
11
as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the union president is refusing to call a strike

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12

call

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in visit
a coming to see another briefly for social or business reasons we paid a call on the new neighbors the day after they moved in

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3
as in message
a communication by telephone give me a call as soon as you arrive, so I'll know you got there safely

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4
5
as in right
an entitlement to something you have no call to insult people

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6
7
as in demand
the state of being sought after especially for purchase there's not much call for woodstoves in this part of the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word call different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of call are cite, convene, convoke, muster, and summon. While all these words mean "to demand the presence of," call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

When can cite be used instead of call?

The words cite and call are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

How do convene and convoke relate to one another, in the sense of call?

Convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

Where would convoke be a reasonable alternative to call?

The meanings of convoke and call largely overlap; however, convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

When is muster a more appropriate choice than call?

In some situations, the words muster and call are roughly equivalent. However, muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole.

mustered the troops

In what contexts can summon take the place of call?

Although the words summon and call have much in common, summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of call
Verb
The organization, which relies almost entirely on donations and volunteer fosters, is also calling attention to the overcrowding at local shelters and encourages people to adopt or foster animals to free up space, so more animals like Xiao Mao can get help. Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 With rare exception, the articles called for people to fight drug addiction, escape homelessness, embrace Jesus. Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
When Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers stormed through Santa Ana, California, in June, panicked calls flooded into the city’s emergency response system. J. David McSwane, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025 The proverbial wakeup call for an unbeaten UM team that fell hard to the very good yet unranked Cards, and now will fall hard in the next polls. Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for call
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call
Verb
  • That mute minute in an otherwise ever-bobbing, ever-shouting crowd (a portion of which camped outside the Spectrum Center) was a testament to Eilish’s ability to hold her own on a stage that — other than the occasional burst of fire and blitzing lights — had little frill.
    Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Climate was barely mentioned, though scientists have been studying and shouting about its relevance in worsening wildfires for years.
    Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In both cases, the performing and consuming elements get dialed up, leading to a subtle blurring of communities with audiences, of communication with content.
    Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The show then dials back to February 22, 2019, another notorious day in the Murdaugh family dynasty.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • It’s believed that the 13th-century castle is haunted by a magical imp who frequently visits the Markomanka and Hlíza, or black, towers.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Their group would frequently visit a local restaurant, First Watch, for breakfast after their night shift ended.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The brand canceled the show indefinitely in 2019 amid controversy surrounding representation and inclusivity.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • In recent years, some Wyandotte residents have tried to get the government to delay or cancel its tax sales, which usually happen twice a year, to prevent people who have struggled to pay sky-rocketing property tax bills from losing their family homes.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Wouldn’t it be considered colonial literature instead?
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • One of two vice-chairmen of the commission, the general is the third-most powerful commander of the People’s Liberation Army and has been considered a close associate of President Xi Jinping, the army’s commander-in-chief.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The majority of the action, however, unfolds in a claustrophobic one-shot inside a tent, with our heroes quaking at the whoops and cries surrounding them.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Her mother was too malnourished to breast-feed; the baby cried constantly, began losing weight, and developed ulcers and infections.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This fall Frankenstein’s monster rises once more, summoned this time by Mexican film director Guillermo del Toro.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Lorch summoned him to his office.
    Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Price contends the Jameson portion of the USGS report is outdate and inaccurate, pointing to a much more recent 2025 third-party review from Sproule ERCE energy consultants that estimates the Jameson basin could hold 9 billion net barrels of recoverable crude oil.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The first collision was estimated to have occurred at a speed of around 37 mph.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Call.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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