summon
Americanverb (used with object)
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summons,
present (3rd person singular)
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summoned,
past participle, past
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summoning
present participle
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to call upon to do something specified.
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to call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal; call.
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to call or notify to appear at a specified place, especially before a court.
to summon a defendant.
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to authorize or order a gathering of; call together by authority, as for deliberation or action.
to summon parliament.
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to call into action; rouse; call forth (often. followed byup ).
to summon all one's courage.
verb
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to order to come; send for, esp to attend court, by issuing a summons
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to order or instruct (to do something) or call (to something)
the bell summoned them to their work
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to call upon to meet or convene
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(often foll by up) to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)
Synonym Usage
See call.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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summonsimple
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summonssimple
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have summonedperfect
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has summonedperfect
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am summoningprogressive
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are summoningprogressive
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is summoningprogressive
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have been summoningperfect progressive
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has been summoningperfect progressive
Past
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summonedsimple
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had summonedperfect
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was summoningprogressive
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were summoningprogressive
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had been summoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of summon
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Medieval Latin summonēre “to summon,” Latin: “to remind unofficially, suggest,” equivalent to sum- sum- + monēre “to remind, warn”; replacing Middle English somonen, from Old French semondre, somondre, from unattested Vulgar Latin summonere, Latin summonēre, as above
Explanation
To summon is to formally call for the presence of someone. If, as soccer team captain, you find that your team members are an hour late for the big game, you might need to summon them — and fast. Summon can also mean “gather up,” as one might summon one’s courage" before that big game. Summon is also occasionally used in reference to the supernatural, as when one tries to call forth a spirit or ghost. If you think the team needs additional help on the field, you might try to summon some supernatural backup.
Vocabulary lists containing summon
List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Greek government said it had "never" been threatened or pressured, and the foreign ministry said it was "unnecessary" to summon Guilfoyle on the issue.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
She said she was "incredibly traumatised and not able to summon help", then dialled 999 in desperation.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
We have to summon what we think is important about being people, both for ourselves and for our kids.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
“So how can I summon everything I have to blow away this audience with superheroic energy, even though I’m just this dumb theater-school kid?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
In vain he tried to summon the proud resolve, the brave words he had planned last night.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Instead of basking in the wealth he had amassed as a banker and financier, Mellon accepted a summons from President-elect Warren G. Harding and got on a train to Marion, Ohio.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
The FBI issued her a federal summons accusing her of assault on board.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
According to the filing, attempts were made to serve Seaver with a summons on three separate occasions.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
But a change of address meant he missed a court summons, triggering a deportation order that ICE agents noticed.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
The door of the car sprang open, like a summons.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The authorities were summoned, and King James himself led 400 men to hunt for the killers.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
A Brazilian diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Argentina's diplomatic representative had been summoned for a "routine meeting" to "provide explanations" on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Some were summoned three hours away to court hearings in Cleveland, the date and time of which changed frequently.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
The Rams summoned McManus and veteran Matt Prater to Woodland Hills for a tryout, and chose McManus after the workout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
Finally, Tigran Petrosian was, on a semi-official basis, summoned to the club.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
A guard yelled into the common room, summoning Wilber during the early afternoon of June 26.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Listening to Xiu Xiu’s “Eraserhead” on a hot and stormy Friday afternoon is an atavistic summoning of the many gifts that David Lynch left us to remember him by.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026
India has also lodged a strong protest with Washington over the strike, summoning a senior US diplomat and calling for an end to attacks on commercial vessels in the region.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“When he’s on,” the late critic Stanley Crouch wrote, he “seems immense, summoning the entire history of jazz, capable of blowing a hole through a wall.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
A shuddering howl broke from him, as if he were a captain summoning his pack to the assault.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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