convoke
Americanverb (used with object)
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convokes,
present (3rd person singular)
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convoked,
past participle, past
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convoking
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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convokesimple
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convokessimple
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have convokedperfect
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has convokedperfect
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am convokingprogressive
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are convokingprogressive
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is convokingprogressive
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have been convokingperfect progressive
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has been convokingperfect progressive
Past
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convokedsimple
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had convokedperfect
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was convokingprogressive
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were convokingprogressive
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had been convokingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convoke
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French convoquer, from Latin convocāre, from con- con- + vocāre “to call”
Explanation
To convoke is to call to a meeting, especially a formal meeting. When planning military strategy, a nation's leader might convoke her trusted advisors and top generals. Convoke emerged in the 14th century, from the Latin word convocare — "to call together;" the definition stands today unchanged. Use convoke when you are speaking of people or a group being summoned for an official gathering, like the kind the government or a large organization holds.
Vocabulary lists containing convoke
John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
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Second Treatise of Government
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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:
That would ease passage of some of Castro's legislative priorities, but her pledge to convoke an assembly to rewrite the country's constitution could still be blocked since that would require a two-thirds majority.
From Reuters ● Dec. 1, 2021
Fernandez currently has a working majority in both houses of Congress, but would need two-thirds' congressional support to convoke an elected constitutional assembly.
From Reuters ● Oct. 18, 2012
Messori explained that if a Pope decided he was no longer capable of leading the Church, he would convoke a Consistory of all the world's cardinals at the Vatican.
From Time ● Jan. 27, 2010
To meet Yenan's demand for an all-party constitutional convention, Chungking offered to convoke an all-party meeting to consider "military and political unification pending a national congress."
From Time Magazine Archive
The character of the Constituent Assembly will largely depend upon the character of those who convoke it.
From Our Revolution Essays on Working-Class and International Revolution, 1904-1917 by Trotzky, Leon Davidovich
Francis turns 87 in December and whether he convokes another consistory next year or in 2025 depends on how long he lives.
From Reuters ● Sep. 30, 2023
He is the supreme authority of the state and commander in chief of the armed forces, concludes treaties and declares war, convokes and dissolves Parliament and appoints and dismisses ministers.
From Time Magazine Archive
The magistrate who convokes the assembly indicates the business on which the suffrages are to be taken, and when the assembly has voted, it dissolves.
From History Of Ancient Civilization by Seignobos, Charles
Properly, then, President Arthur convokes, not convenes, the Senate.
From The Verbalist A Manual Devoted to Brief Discussions of the Right and the Wrong Use of Words and to Some Other Matters of Interest to Those Who Would Speak and Write with Propriety. by Osmun, Thomas Embly
The proclamation, that pronounces the dissolution, convokes the electoral colleges for a new election, and indicates the re-assembling of representatives in six months at the latest.
From Memoirs of the Private Life, Return, and Reign of Napoleon in 1815, Vol. II by Fleury de Chaboulon, Pierre Alexandre Édouard, baron
Usually ambassadors are convoked by the Secretariat of State.
From Reuters ● Feb. 25, 2022
The pope convoked all Chilean bishops to Rome for days of intense meetings, at the conclusion of which all 34 offered their resignation, a first.
From New York Times ● May 21, 2018
“It is very important that an extraordinary Synod has been convoked on the theme of the pastoral of the family,” Vatican spokesperson Fr.
From Time ● Oct. 8, 2013
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 11, 2013
On July 20th, 1507, Margaret convoked the States-General at Malines, and asked them to levy a 'philippus' on each household.
From The First Governess of the Netherlands, Margaret of Austria by Tremayne, Eleanor E.
Taylor's irritation seemed justified, but, as General Nguyen Khanh said last week, "He was convoking me as if he were MacArthur on occupation in Japan."
From Time Magazine Archive
The idea has come more and more to the front of ... convoking a special advisory committee.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ambassador Andrew Young, Football Coach Tom Landry and other notables in convoking 800 "national leaders" to a glittering "Congress of the Laity" in Los Angeles next February.
From Time Magazine Archive
There was much more, but still nothing to explain convoking the nation's No. 1 sounding board.
From Time Magazine Archive
Hénon threatened to tender his resignation if they went on like that, and proposed they should repair to the prefect, who was then convoking the reactionary battalions.
From History of the Commune of 1871 by Lissagary, P.
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.
