as in evoking
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 eliciting
This last part seemed to be a joke, eliciting a peal of laughter from his wife.
—
Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
In their quest for a new trial, Turners new attorneys took special aim at the prosecutors, accusing them of eliciting testimony that misled jurors about the origin of the tip, according to court filings.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026
Jonathan Tropper’s screenplay hits all the right notes for this sort of thing, even eliciting genuinely emotional moments from Bautista and especially Momoa.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Support for the project Despite the project being the subject of multiple Metro community meetings and eliciting thousands of remarks for and against various proposals, public comment was overwhelmingly supportive when Metro’s board approved the plan last week.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ruiz posted about her return Monday on Facebook, eliciting many happy responses from viewers.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
Oden subbed out for the remainder of the second OT but returned to the floor for the start of the third, eliciting the frantic reaction from Rice.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several months, the officers arrested at least 112 people, their crowd control tactics also eliciting criticism from protest groups.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The film has been given a handsome production, with Hytner deftly conveying the period setting and eliciting excellent performances from the large ensemble.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
In their quest for a new trial, Turners new attorneys took special aim at the prosecutors, accusing them of eliciting testimony that misled jurors about the origin of the tip, according to court filings.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026
Jonathan Tropper’s screenplay hits all the right notes for this sort of thing, even eliciting genuinely emotional moments from Bautista and especially Momoa.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Support for the project Despite the project being the subject of multiple Metro community meetings and eliciting thousands of remarks for and against various proposals, public comment was overwhelmingly supportive when Metro’s board approved the plan last week.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Ruiz posted about her return Monday on Facebook, eliciting many happy responses from viewers.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
Oden subbed out for the remainder of the second OT but returned to the floor for the start of the third, eliciting the frantic reaction from Rice.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several months, the officers arrested at least 112 people, their crowd control tactics also eliciting criticism from protest groups.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The film has been given a handsome production, with Hytner deftly conveying the period setting and eliciting excellent performances from the large ensemble.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eliciting
Verb
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The synth-heavy soundtrack is back, nodding to the greed-is-good eighties while evoking both an ultra-contemporary cool and an inhuman chill.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Although there will be a couple of weeks of sports competitions to come, none are possible without an opening ceremony, a combination of solemn official protocol with a fantastic representation of the host country’s culture and character, evoking the Olympic spirit itself.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Savannah Guthrie credits her mother with inspiring her religious beliefs.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Known online as Tiana's Half Dozen, Carston has turned everyday meals for her family of six into an online movement, cooking from the heart and, along the way, inspiring others.—
Ryan Dennis,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Eliciting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eliciting. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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