call
kawl
Call (verb) means to contact someone by phone, or to cry out or shout to get attention. Example: “Call me when you get home safely.”
verb
1
To contact someone by phone, or to cry out or shout to get attention.
"Call me when you get home safely."
"She called out his name across the crowded station."
"I'll call the plumber first thing in the morning about the leak."
2
To give someone or something a name; to refer to something in a particular way.
"They called their new puppy Max."
"Some people call it a soda; others call it a pop."
"My grandmother's friends all call her Betty, though her real name is longer."
3
To pay a brief visit, or to stop at a place, especially a ship stopping at a port.
"I'll call round tomorrow to pick up the keys."
"The cruise ship calls at three ports along the coast."
"The nurse calls at the house twice a week to check on him."
4
To predict or officially declare an outcome.
"The pundits called the election for the incumbent hours before the final count."
"Experts called the match a draw long before the final whistle blew."
"The referee called the ball out, and the crowd groaned."
noun
1
An act of speaking to someone on the phone.
"I got a call from my sister this morning."
"Sorry, I missed your call because my phone was on silent."
"The call lasted nearly an hour because we had so much to catch up on."
2
A decision, especially a difficult or judgment-based one.
"It was a tough call, but she decided to turn down the offer."
"Choosing between the two candidates was a hard call for the committee."
"Whether to cancel the trip is your call, not mine."
How to use call
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo speak to someone (often by phone), to name something, to visit briefly, or to make a judgment/decision.
Common pairings
give someone a call
call it a day
close call
call someone's bluff
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like call.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- calls
- Past tense
- called, call'd
- Archaic forms
- callest, calledst, calleth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ me when you get home safely.
Etymology
From Old English ceallian and Old Norse kalla, both meaning "to call out or shout," from a shared Germanic root.
Related words
Rhymes for call
See all rhymes for call →Frequently asked questions
What does “call” mean?
The word “call” means to contact someone by phone, or to cry out or shout to get attention. In plain terms, to speak to someone (often by phone), to name something, to visit briefly, or to make a judgment/decision.
How do you pronounce “call”?
“Call” is pronounced kawl (/kɔl/ in IPA).
How do you use “call” in a sentence?
Here is “call” used in a sentence: “Call me when you get home safely.”
What part of speech is “call”?
Depending on how it is used, “call” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “call” come from?
The word “call” comes from Old English. From Old English ceallian and Old Norse kalla, both meaning "to call out or shout," from a shared Germanic root.
Is “call” a common word?
“Call” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “call” have?
“Call” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to contact someone by phone, or to cry out or shout to get attention.
What are the different meanings of 'call'?
'Call' has several senses. Most commonly it means to contact someone by phone. It can also mean to cry out or shout to attract attention, as in 'call for help'. Beyond these, 'call' can mean to name something ('they call him Sam') or to summon a person to come.
What is the difference between call and text?
To call someone is to reach them by phone for a spoken, real-time conversation. To text is to send a written message they can read and answer whenever they like. A call is immediate and voice-based, while a text is quieter, quicker to send, and does not need both people free at once.
What is the difference between calling and shouting?
Both can mean raising your voice, but calling is aimed at reaching someone specific — you call out to get a person's attention or bring them to you. Shouting simply means being loud, often from anger, excitement, or distance, and does not always have a particular listener in mind.
What is an example of 'call' in a sentence?
You might say, 'I'll call you tonight,' using the phone sense, or 'She had to call out to warn them,' using the shout sense. Both share the idea of reaching another person — one through a device, the other through the voice.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include call:
