call for
Idioms-
Go to get someone or something, as in John said he'd call for Mary at eight , or Someone's at the door, calling for the package . [First half of 1600s]
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Summon someone or something. For example, The audience called for the playwright , or The judge called for the verdict . [First half of 1500s]
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Require, demand, as in This job calls for a lot of patience . [First half of 1700s] Also see no call for ; uncalled for .
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.
There was no way Tennyson wouldn’t answer the call for duty.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
The investment firms variously cited internal guidelines or practices that call for grants to be halted when a charity is under investigation or charged with a crime.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
The new union deals also call for modest class-size reduction and the hiring of more counselors.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
The West Palm Beach, Fla.,-based provider of artificial intelligence-powered autonomous drone systems posted first-quarter revenue of $50.1 million, increasing 1,065% compared to a year ago and well above Wall Street’s call for $39.4 million.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
Men who had gathered to watch the river came down and began to cut away the brush as others rushed to call for help.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
