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
The Cheboygan County sheriff's office said any evacuation order will be announced via the Federal Emergency Management Agency alert system that invokes the cell phone Wireless Emergency Alerts system, NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System via radio and television broadcasts.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Collins also invokes Dick Gregory’s late-in-life argument that Black entertainers were burdened by liberation expectations that white male entertainers never had to carry.
—Geoff Bennett, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
Nicolao Apollo A name that invokes the Greek and Roman god of sunlight, also associated with prophecy, music, and poetry.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 10 Apr. 2026
Trump invokes the 2024 immunity decision, but are the justices buying it?
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Thomas, like Kluge, is steeped in Kafka, whose fiction the novel repeatedly invokes.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
This population crisis feeds into a post-imperial syndrome, where the decline of empire and power status invokes a sense of loss of self-importance that gives rise to resentment and an unwavering commitment to retain great power status.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Thomas, like Kluge, is steeped in Kafka, whose fiction the novel repeatedly invokes.
—Giles Harvey, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
If someone invokes these rights, police are supposed to stop questioning them immediately.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Collins also invokes Dick Gregory’s late-in-life argument that Black entertainers were burdened by liberation expectations that white male entertainers never had to carry.
—Geoff Bennett, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
Nicolao Apollo A name that invokes the Greek and Roman god of sunlight, also associated with prophecy, music, and poetry.
—Taylor Grothe, Parents, 10 Apr. 2026
Trump invokes the 2024 immunity decision, but are the justices buying it?
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Thomas, like Kluge, is steeped in Kafka, whose fiction the novel repeatedly invokes.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
This population crisis feeds into a post-imperial syndrome, where the decline of empire and power status invokes a sense of loss of self-importance that gives rise to resentment and an unwavering commitment to retain great power status.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Thomas, like Kluge, is steeped in Kafka, whose fiction the novel repeatedly invokes.
—Giles Harvey, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
If someone invokes these rights, police are supposed to stop questioning them immediately.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invokes
Verb
-
Sometimes, the plan creates the situation, and the unexpected knockout blow makes the plan look clever.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
August 23 – September 22 One thoughtful move today creates real momentum.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mining generates large quantities of toxic waste and wastewater containing heavy metals, acids and radioactive residues.—
Abraham Nunbogu,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Petco Park also generates year-round revenue from other events like concerts, which adds several hundred million dollars to the value of the San Diego franchise.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Put a few slices on your tuna salad sandwich, see what the day brings.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The former Ohio State linebacker brings versatility and enthusiasm to a Washington defense that struggled in 2025.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Onions emit a gas that causes potatoes to sprout.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Houston Texans have had difficulties getting beyond the wild-card round of the playoffs, which sometimes prompts some changes on a roster.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Though Cee Cee prompts some independence in her friend, Bertie’s sheen hasn’t rubbed off on her needy pal.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That is exactly what this film cleverly does — pinpoints the insidious nature of far-right movements and the creeping rhetoric that has polluted our society.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Corey Scher is a postdoctoral researcher at the Conflict Ecology laboratory at Oregon State University, which does satellite monitoring in conflict zones.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The winger does well initially to sit his defender down but then produces a tame effort right at David Raya in goal.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
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The massive rocket produces nearly 17 million pounds of thrust on liftoff, and produces or more potent sonic boom when its booster returns to the launch site.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invokes. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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