evoke

American  

[ih-vohk] / ɪˈvoʊk /

verb (used with object)

evoked, evoking

1. to call up or produce (memories, feelings, etc.).

   to evoke a memory.

2. to elicit or draw forth.

   His comment evoked protests from the shocked listeners.

3. to call up; cause to appear; summon.

   to evoke a spirit from the dead.

4. to produce or suggest through artistry and imagination a vivid impression of reality.

   a short passage that manages to evoke the smells, colors, sounds, and shapes of that metropolis.

---

evoke British  

/ ˈɛvəkəbəl, ɪˈvəʊk /

verb

1. to call or summon up (a memory, feeling, etc), esp from the past

2. to call forth or provoke; produce; elicit

   his words evoked an angry reply

3. to cause (spirits) to appear; conjure up

---

Other Word Forms

• evocable
  adjective
• evoker
  noun
• unevoked
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of evoke

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ēvocāre, from ē- e- ¹ + vocāre “to call” (akin to vōx voice )

Explanation

The verb evoke most commonly means to bring a feeling, memory, or picture into the mind. When you visit your old elementary school, the smells, sounds, and colors there can evoke memories from the past. Similarly, a certain reaction can be evoked by words or actions, as in "His comments evoked anger in the community." A near synonym is elicit, as in "No matter how many different ways the detective questioned the suspect, he could not elicit any response. Evoke was borrowed from Latin evocare, from the prefix e- "out," plus vocare "to call."

Example Sentences

In contrast, Altman's name struck potential jurors as familiar but did not evoke strong opinion.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

In both cases, it’s hard not to be impressed with how well the lavish sonics evoke the pop of a past era, which is comforting for anyone repelled by today’s computer-driven productions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

A bridge across the park will be rebuilt, with a glass balustrade that will evoke a royal tiara.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

What Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid is out to evoke is bone-deep submission: the kind of total capitulation and surrender that makes a person unrecognizable even to themselves.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

While at the heart of Beethoven’s symphony lies a vision of a better civilisation led by a benign deity, Berlioz, a life-long atheist, attempts to evoke the Apocalypse and Final Judgement in sound.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• arouse
• conjure
• elicit
• invoke
• provoke
• recall