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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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:
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
In Peru, the Senate recently voted unanimously to summon the foreign minister to explain what the country was committing to by joining the Shield of the Americas, and the extent of U.S. involvement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
She merely had to summon the courage to begin . . . right . . . left . . . right . . . left . . . now a little faster, right-left-right-left, rightleftrightleftrightleft ...
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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
Father Louis Cameli, a priest at Holy Name Cathedral, said the news was "not just a medical event" but a "spiritual summons" to trust God.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 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
Then, in the cold voice of an adder, “The bell invites me. Hear it not, Merlin, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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
United vice-captain Ella Toone missed out on England selection for the first time under Sarina Wiegman - albeit she was later summoned as a squad reinforcement.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
On Friday, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy summoned Ashby with one out in the seventh and the Brewers clinging to a 2-1 lead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
At a speech in Salt Lake City, Humphrey summoned the nerve to break with Johnson.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Arms out, fingers splayed, she takes a comic-book summoning pose familiar from decades of mutant movies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 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
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
But what story would be appropriate for summoning a magical treasure chest?
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
