summon
Americanverb (used with object)
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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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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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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:
A legislature can summon everyone a rule will touch, balance competing interests and revise the law as the evidence turns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Gustavo Arellano writes that ‘the Dodgers need to summon the moral courage of their past and once again set an example others can follow.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
The WHO chief and Brazil's president on Monday urged the G7 to summon the "courage" to finish the international treaty on handling future pandemics.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
The valets in the lobby summon golf carts with a flick of the wrist, graciously driving me back and forth from the parking lot.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
She had goaded him for years to learn to summon and aim lightning, with dismal results.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
The new summons, just weeks after Musk didn’t show up for a voluntary interview with French prosecutors, escalates a trans-Atlantic feud over France’s handling of its long-running probe of X.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
As the warmer weather summons us to spend more time outdoors, we might find ourselves feeling a little crowded.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
When Dawud Burke, D4vd's father, fought against the summons in a Texas court he included material from the California case that had not been previously available to the public.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
There was a fake but convincing summons from the Sao Paolo police apparently charging one individual with money-laundering, typically used to scare victims into transferring funds or information about bank accounts.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2026
“So that you weren’t alarmed when the morning wore on and no summons came?”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
In April 2015 Mr. Sanders had summoned the experienced Democratic campaign consultant to his Vermont home to discuss a run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
After being summoned over the incident by President Ferdinand Marcos, however, China's ambassador to Manila told reporters it would have no effect on long-gestating efforts to craft a Code of Conduct for the crucial waterway.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Australia's foreign ministry summoned Laos' ambassador in Canberra.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
When modern war mobilized entire populations, it summoned new forms of experience and expression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Happily Van Helsing has not summoned me, so I need not forego my sleep; to-night I could not well do without it.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
At Ojai, Lewis wistfully performed the solo prelude off in Libbey Park shrubbery as if a dallying forest spirit summoning ghosts of festivals past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Meanwhile, when he was their age, young Giles, nicknamed Ripper, terrorized London by summoning hell spawn for fun.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
It’s an admirable acknowledgement of those behind the scenes, slotting film reels into the Dryden’s 75-year-old projectors, summoning shimmering worlds before our eyes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Last week, Canada said it was summoning the Israeli ambassador over the incident.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
Yasmeen leaves me at the door when she spots her mom summoning her to meet another auntie.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
