summon

American  

[suhm-uhn] / ˈsʌm ən /

verb (used with object)

1. to call upon to do something specified.

2. to call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal; call.

3. to call or notify to appear at a specified place, especially before a court.

   to summon a defendant.

4. to authorize or order a gathering of; call together by authority, as for deliberation or action.

   to summon parliament.

5. to call into action; rouse; call forth (often. followed byup ).

   to summon all one's courage.

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summon British  

/ ˈsʌmən /

verb

1. to order to come; send for, esp to attend court, by issuing a summons

2. to order or instruct (to do something) or call (to something)

   the bell summoned them to their work

3. to call upon to meet or convene

4. (often foll by up) to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)

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Related Words

See call.

Other Word Forms

• resummon verb (used with object)
• summonable adjective
• summoner noun
• unsummonable adjective

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.

Example Sentences

The question remains whether we as a people can summon the political will to make the needed changes — or any.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

“From the beginning, the conceit was to summon all the types of experiences of Blackness in one place, the project being a vessel or container for all of that expression,” Halsey says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Tears are hard to summon for a man whose soul and spirit have long since departed, leaving behind just the husk of a human being.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He wanted to summon one last effort for his country, to play at this summer's World Cup.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

I just look in the direction of the akrafena and summon it back to me.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• ask
• assemble
• call
• call for
• call in
• convene
• direct
• draft
• gather
• invite
• mobilize
• recall
• request
• subpoena