as in to evoke
to draw out (something hidden, latent, or reserved)
the role elicited the actress's flair for comedy that previous directors had overlooked
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Recent Examples of elicit
Still, the earlier and cushier the access, the more likely to elicit a positive response.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
The foul called against Christian Braun with 90 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night elicited one of those from him, with the entire Nuggets’ bench behind him.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Colder temperatures elicit a variety of metabolic responses in the body.
—Cara Ocobock, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
Gabbard's attendance at the search elicited strong criticism from Democrats, who said the intelligence chief should not be involved in domestic law enforcement operations.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elicit
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
The foul called against Christian Braun with 90 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night elicited one of those from him, with the entire Nuggets’ bench behind him.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Colder temperatures elicit a variety of metabolic responses in the body.
—Cara Ocobock, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
Gabbard's attendance at the search elicited strong criticism from Democrats, who said the intelligence chief should not be involved in domestic law enforcement operations.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elicit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elicit
Verb
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The store is redolent with the aroma of warm chocolate and an ambience evoking the agricultural roots of cacao with plants and growing tunnels.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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So, chocolate, orgasms, limerence, and heroin may all depend on the same little bundles of cells to evoke their fundamental sensation of pleasure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While it was made in the ‘90s, the collection (which showed slip dresses, shirts with undulating ruffles, and jacquard silk jackets constructed to look permanently burst-open) was inspired by the romance between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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The work was inspired by cephalopods such as octopuses, which can rapidly alter their skin’s appearance and texture to blend into their surroundings or communicate.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elicit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elicit. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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