verb C1 Advanced Uncommon

evoke

ih-VOHK

Evoke (verb) means to bring a feeling, memory, or image to someone's mind. Example: “The old photograph evoked memories of her grandmother's kitchen.”

verb

To bring a feeling, memory, or image to someone's mind.

"The old photograph evoked memories of her grandmother's kitchen."

"The song evokes a sense of nostalgia."

To provoke or draw out a particular reaction or response.

"The announcement evoked strong criticism from environmental groups."

How to use evoke

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo bring something to mind or trigger a reaction.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "invoke" (to call upon or put into effect, e.g. invoke a rule); "evoke" is about triggering feelings or images.

Easily confused with

invoke →

Common pairings

evoke memories evoke a response evoke emotion

Word forms

evoked past tense, evokes singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old photograph _____ memories of her grandmother's kitchen.

Etymology

From French évoquer, from Latin ēvocāre, "to call out or summon," from ex- ("out") + vocāre ("to call"); related to "voice."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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fire suggest raise extract stir provoke kindle invoke elicit arouse conjure educe

Related words

fire term mine match technology choose suggest wake

Rhymes for evoke

woke coke poke joke toke yoke hoke broke spoke smoke bloke stoke

See all rhymes for evoke →

Frequently asked questions

What does “evoke” mean?

The word “evoke” means to bring a feeling, memory, or image to someone's mind. In plain terms, to bring something to mind or trigger a reaction.

How do you pronounce “evoke”?

“Evoke” is pronounced ih-VOHK (/ɪˈvoʊk/ in IPA).

How do you use “evoke” in a sentence?

Here is “evoke” used in a sentence: “The old photograph evoked memories of her grandmother's kitchen.”

What part of speech is “evoke”?

“Evoke” is a verb.

Where does the word “evoke” come from?

The word “evoke” comes from Latin. From French évoquer, from Latin ēvocāre, "to call out or summon," from ex- ("out") + vocāre ("to call"); related to "voice.".

Is “evoke” a common word?

“Evoke” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “evoke” have?

“Evoke” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to bring a feeling, memory, or image to someone's mind.

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