summon

verb

ˈsə-mən How to pronounce summon (audio)
Definition of summonnext
1
as in to call
to demand or request the presence or service of without explanation, the managing editor summoned me to his office

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to gather
to call into being through the use of one's inner resources or powers managed to summon a bright smile despite the gloomy day

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to muster
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command summoned a special session of parliament

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word summon different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of summon are call, cite, convene, convoke, and muster. While all these words mean "to demand the presence of," summon implies the exercise of authority.

was summoned to answer charges

How are the words call and summon related?

Call may be used less formally for summon.

called the legislature into special session

When can cite be used instead of summon?

In some situations, the words cite and summon are roughly equivalent. However, cite implies a summoning to court usually to answer a charge.

cited for drunken driving

How do convene and convoke relate to one another, in the sense of summon?

Convene is somewhat less formal than convoke.

convened the students

When is convoke a more appropriate choice than summon?

The words convoke and summon can be used in similar contexts, but convoke implies a summons to assemble for deliberative or legislative purposes.

convoked a Vatican council

When might muster be a better fit than summon?

Although the words muster and summon have much in common, muster suggests a calling up of a number of things that form a group in order that they may be exhibited, displayed, or utilized as a whole.

mustered the troops

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of summon State officials have summoned Godoy for questioning. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 The National Mediation Board summoned representatives of the unions and the MTA on Sunday to try and help negotiations anew, and talks are slated to resume on Monday morning. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 18 May 2026 Tobia Scarpa, architect and designer, who is the son of Venetian architect and design god Carlo Scarpa was summoned back by FLOS at age 91 to tweak the design of his Seki-Han, a lamp originally issued from 1963 to 1966. —Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 17 May 2026 On May 17, the second day of the strike, the National Mediation Board summoned the MTA and unions representing LIRR workers to a meeting in Manhattan to resume bargaining. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for summon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summon
  1. call
  2. gather
  3. muster
  4. ask
  5. convene
  6. invite
  7. assemble
Verb
  • So, the next time someone tries to gaslight you by asserting the authority of a mythical being over your own reading, call it out.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Eisler showed him how to position himself on a metal-and-wood contraption called a reformer.
    — Natalie Meade, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Definition of call
Verb
  • Save Girls’ Sports activists gathered outside Yorba Linda High School in protest, which OutKick documented firsthand through conversations with parents and attendees at the meet.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
  • Before the team’s departure, the staff gathered for a final walk-through.
    — Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Definition of gather
Verb
  • Slater mustered up the last ounce of energy.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
  • Indeed, as the 1980s wore on, the most profitable banks were those who could muster the largest number of associates to dream up deals, analysts to vet them, salespeople to win new business, and traders to buy and sell securities.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Definition of muster
Verb
  • On the topic of arresting homeless people, moderators asked how Bianco's sheriff's office has been known to do.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • Patients were concerned too, and some asked Hulse what would happen to the new clinic after her team left.
    — Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Definition of ask
Verb
  • Seidman founded and chairs the How Institute for Society, which convened a group of leaders in business, academia, philanthropy and media yesterday to talk about the state of How in advance of Seidman being honored by 92NY.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 19 May 2026
  • In the coming weeks, the council plans to convene a group of community advocates and experts to make recommendations on what those regulations should be.
    — Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
Definition of convene
Verb
  • For perhaps the first time, a president of the United States is not merely protecting Jewish religious practice or praising Jewish contributions, but inviting a distinctly Jewish religious experience itself — Shabbat — into the broader civic conversation of the nation.
    — Ari Berman, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026
  • The clear spirit is believed to act as a messenger, inviting ancestral souls for their blessings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 May 2026
Definition of invite
Verb
  • Focused on assembling a slate built around creators with loyal digital audiences, its partnership with McBride fits squarely within a digital-first model, which uses YouTube to build audience and IP while scaling to theatrical releases and streaming.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 May 2026
  • Kevin Scott, Microsoft's technology chief, testified that the first supercomputer his company built with OpenAI years ago took about six months, assembling together 10,000 graphics processing units that occupied a big chunk of a data center.
    — Jordan Novet, CNBC, 13 May 2026
Definition of assemble

Browse Nearby Words

summits
summon
summoned
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Cite this Entry

“Summon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summon. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on summon

Nglish: Translation of summon for Spanish Speakers

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