as in spell
a spoken word or set of words believed to have magic power
a Siberian shaman muttering mysterious invocations to ward off evil
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Recent Examples of invocation
Such rhetoric echoes in official statements as well — in prayers for destruction, in invocations of divine sanction for war and in casual references to catastrophic violence.
—
Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Some of these invocations align with Hegseth’s recurring references to the Crusades in the Middle Ages – a centuries-long holy war between Christians and Muslims.
—Samuel Perry, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Despite the invocation of the term 60 years ago, stagflation’s heyday was in the ’70s, when economic growth cooled, wages stagnated, and prices were rising.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
And the court said by repeating his intention not to talk, that's not an invocation of the right to remain silent.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invocation
Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Some of these invocations align with Hegseth’s recurring references to the Crusades in the Middle Ages – a centuries-long holy war between Christians and Muslims.
—Samuel Perry, The Conversation, 6 Apr. 2026
Despite the invocation of the term 60 years ago, stagflation’s heyday was in the ’70s, when economic growth cooled, wages stagnated, and prices were rising.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
And the court said by repeating his intention not to talk, that's not an invocation of the right to remain silent.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invocation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invocation
Noun
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Less than four months after his previous interim spell as Chelsea head coach, Calum McFarlane is back in the hot seat.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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With a blend of atmospheric beatmaking, gauzy harmonies, and impressionistic songwriting, Quiet Light’s music casts a distinct spell, like stumbling upon Imogen Heap in a forest clearing or imagining a Taylor Swift album produced by Harold Budd.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As prospective farmers struggled to clear forests for rice fields in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Malaya, their efforts might have been accompanied by mystical incantations like this invocation against Iblis, the Devil in Islamic tradition.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Apr. 2026
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In that loud and sultry enclosure, the aspirants lined up and repeated the same information, over and over, like an incantation to open a magic door.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Curse or no curse, the @nyknicks have NO BUSINESS losing this series to the @ATLHawks — no matter how good that young team is.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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The home crowd in hockey can be a blessing and a curse.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invocation. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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