1
2
as in to gather
to call into being through the use of one's inner resources or powers managed to summon a bright smile despite the gloomy day

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to muster
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command summoned a special session of parliament

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of summon are call, cite, convene, convoke, and muster. While all these words mean "to demand the presence of," summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

How are the words call and summon related?

Call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

When can cite be used instead of summon?

In some situations, the words cite and summon are roughly equivalent. However, 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 summon?

Convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

When is convoke a more appropriate choice than summon?

The words convoke and summon can be used in similar contexts, but convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

When might muster be a better fit than summon?

Although the words muster and summon have much in common, 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

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 summon Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez summoned industry leaders on Thursday to a presentation of his response plan. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 3 Apr. 2025 This comes despite the retail giant being summoned by the country’s authorities last month. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025 From playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun, Black Cypress Bayou is set on a hot summer night in Texas, where Vernita Manifold (Kimberly Scott) summons her two daughters down to the bayou with a secret too big to keep. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025 Sure enough, Kristen then summoned a parade of cloches, each paired with a different hockey term, and instructed the chefs to pick whichever one struck their fancy. Caroline Framke, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for summon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summon
Verb
  • Instead, call the APS Outage Hotline at 602-371-3680 or 1-855-688-2437 or visit aps.com/outage.
    Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2023
  • If the bill was a mistake, call 1-800-HHS-TIPS to report it.
    Louise Norris, Verywell Health, 14 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • Two Saturdays ago, citizens and immigrants across the country gathered and marched — including tens of thousands in downtown Chicago and the suburbs.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Homicide and crime scene personnel were gathering evidence and speaking with possible witnesses.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After the Braves mustered a single run in the first inning Friday, the Rays tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and took the lead on Danny Jansen’s two-run homer in the fourth inning on a first-pitch sinker that Elder left over the plate and up.
    David O'Brien, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Several were held last month, and more so far in early April. Veterans and those facing possible layoffs mustered outside the Lovell Veterans Affairs Center in North Chicago on Friday.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Craig Carton, Danny Parkins, and Mark Schlereth ask whether this was the worst trade in NFL and major sports history.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The actor adds that he was once asked if a company could use his voice and declined.
    Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Material Buyers Club is a group of large purchasers convened by the Green Science Policy Institute.
    Arlene Blum, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The move-in was cemented Thursday and Friday afternoon with SANDAG’s Shoreline Preservation Working Group and Transportation Committee convening for the first-ever public meetings in the new space.
    Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • There’s plenty of fertile soil there for discomfort and disagreement, but the series’ purest, deepest power comes from inviting the notion of family into the fray.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Legendary invited Minecraft influencers to the set, gave them shout-outs in the movie, and invited 30 of them to the London world premiere.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The basic act of assembling and protesting the government’s actions is unquestionably protected, according to the First Amendment Coalition, a California nonprofit that’s committed to protecting freedom of speech.
    Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 9 Apr. 2025
  • One count of the phonetic literature found that 40.5 percent of studies had assembled only male speakers, with the vast majority of the rest using more male than female or an even number of male and female participants.
    Sarah A. Bell, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Summon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summon. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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