as in creates
to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)
we should be prepared for the possibility that any solution may invoke another set of problems
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Recent Examples of invokes
Presented as a doctrine of national renewal, the strategy invokes the language of strength, sovereignty, and restoration.
—
Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Shankman invokes Julie Hagerty's performance in the 1980 comedy Airplane!
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Ready invokes our name as a warning.
—John Acunto, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The only certainty is a public spectacle in which a witness repeatedly invokes the Fifth Amendment.
—Fritz Farrow, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
Active duty soldiers are barred from carrying out domestic law enforcement duties unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act, which hasn’t been done since 1992.
—Richard Hall, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
The sense of sunrise or sunset invokes a time of change, being on the edge.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
The book invokes a lot of elements from both Iran’s ancient history and Hedayat’s time.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
But nothing could ease the stress off him more quickly than a running game that invokes fear — any fear, just something that causes a team to actually react to play-action.
—Sam McDowell 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
Alejandro Reyes, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Shankman invokes Julie Hagerty's performance in the 1980 comedy Airplane!
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
Ready invokes our name as a warning.
—John Acunto, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The only certainty is a public spectacle in which a witness repeatedly invokes the Fifth Amendment.
—Fritz Farrow, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
Active duty soldiers are barred from carrying out domestic law enforcement duties unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act, which hasn’t been done since 1992.
—Richard Hall, Time, 18 Jan. 2026
The sense of sunrise or sunset invokes a time of change, being on the edge.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
The book invokes a lot of elements from both Iran’s ancient history and Hedayat’s time.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
But nothing could ease the stress off him more quickly than a running game that invokes fear — any fear, just something that causes a team to actually react to play-action.
—Sam McDowell 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invokes
Verb
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Chocolate ganache—made simply with heavy cream and chocolate—creates the indulgent filling of this no-bake pie, showcasing the rich flavor of semisweet chocolate.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
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Rather than forcing every participant onto the same technical stack, the system creates a universal layer that can interoperate across heterogeneous infrastructures.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Public estimates suggest the company generates roughly US$3 million in annual revenue and employs about 25 people.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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This causes a blast of high-energy radiation called a gamma-ray burst (GRB), a final screech of gravitational waves, and sends out a spray of neutron-rich matter, which allows a process to occur that generates very heavy but unstable elements.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In Fennell’s version, Cathy’s brother is dead by the time her father brings home a selectively mute boy, whom Cathy chooses to name Heathcliff after her deceased brother.—
Becky Little,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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Overall, Mayor Castillo brings experience, clarity, and drive to the role.—
Thomas Good,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But one recent study published in JAMA Cardiology uncovered some potentially lifesaving guidance that could help women with aortic regurgitation—a common condition where the heart’s valve doesn’t close properly and causes blood to flow backward and fill the left ventricle—receive treatment sooner.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
5 Feb. 2026
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How can anybody be that jealous and what causes it?—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Or was Kevin just born that way—and the social tendency to blame mothers prompts us to find fault in Eva?—
Adelle Waldman,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Once that allowance runs out, the app prompts users to pay.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So, what does a 127-year-old wine taste like?—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Ward and Ausere said UConn does a great job supporting the club, helping pay for rigs, jumps and wind tunnel time.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The combination of price, availability and widespread use means neodymium produces more revenue than any other rare earth element.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Oscar winner DiCaprio, riding high with awards darling One Battle After Another, produces with Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson for Appian Way (Killers Of The Flower Moon).—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invokes. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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