as in spells
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 invocations
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
As his invocations crescendoed, so did the music behind him and the Legacy Mass Choir broke into a rousing gospel performance to start the homegoing services.
—CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In reality, only 17 out of 45 presidents — or 37% — utilized the law, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy organization that in 2022 tracked all Insurrection Act invocations.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
Seneca’s and Cicero’s invocations of humanitas were as double-edged as our own talk of the humanities, pointing at once to a body of knowledge and to a moral choice that learning might inspire.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Zed has led invocations for the Idaho Senate and Boise City Council.
—Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2025
Many of those invocations dealt with white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan attacking Black Americans or attempting political violence following the end of slavery in the South and the Civil War.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
All of the other rare invocations of Article 4 were by Turkey, which asked for consultations related to threats coming from Iraq and Syria.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
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
As his invocations crescendoed, so did the music behind him and the Legacy Mass Choir broke into a rousing gospel performance to start the homegoing services.
—CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In reality, only 17 out of 45 presidents — or 37% — utilized the law, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy organization that in 2022 tracked all Insurrection Act invocations.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
Seneca’s and Cicero’s invocations of humanitas were as double-edged as our own talk of the humanities, pointing at once to a body of knowledge and to a moral choice that learning might inspire.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Zed has led invocations for the Idaho Senate and Boise City Council.
—Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2025
Many of those invocations dealt with white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan attacking Black Americans or attempting political violence following the end of slavery in the South and the Civil War.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
All of the other rare invocations of Article 4 were by Turkey, which asked for consultations related to threats coming from Iraq and Syria.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invocations
Noun
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Havertz looked utterly forlorn, visibly distressed to pick up yet another injury after a year decimated by two serious surgeries and long spells of rehabilitation.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Coach Ralf Rangnick took over in 2022 after spells with Manchester United, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Stuttgart and Leipzig.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 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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Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Tens of millions of downloads deep, among discussions regarding ongoing bear curses and the quiet art of being a decent person, Drew Barrymore has asked about boogers and Jane Fonda has asked about hope.—
Brittany Delay,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
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There are still deliveries of hate mail from conservative neighbors who disapprove of their lifestyle, and occasional drive-bys punctuated with curses yelled from car windows, but they’ve largely been accepted by the community.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invocations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invocations. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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