to call on

Examples

• All

• Immediately, we will call on every nation to disarm.

  Left Behind II: Tribulation Force (2002)

• The Human Rights Watch is calling on all governments to ban shackling.

• And the only fall back he could think of was to to call on God for help.

• The people who you have to keep calling on are never going to be your best customers.

• Rather than calling on power to limit itself, it now called on the state to share power.

  Academic text (1991)

• And then for the study guide today, I can call on a few of you or get volunteers.

• The teacher then calls on one or two groups to offer their responses.

  Academic text (2012)

• We call on all great citizens of Warsaw to free our city and our nation.

  The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)

• Speaking at East Los Angeles College, Jackson called on all minorities to become environmental activists.

  Academic text (1990)

• The charity decided to call on the community for donations to support their cause.

Synonyms

A

to ask

vsto call on

∞ 1.0

To request information or an answer from someone

is a formal appeal rather than a simple question to gain information

R

to request

vsto call on

∞ 1.0

To ask for something politely or formally

is a formal appeal covering help, information, or action

C

to call for

vsto call on

369 3.3

Ask people in public to give or do something

is a formal appeal made to a person rather than a public demand

R

to reach out

vsto call on

338 2.7

To contact someone to offer help or support

is a formal appeal rather than a friendly, informal contact or offer

A

to approach

vsto call on

316 3.0

To speak to someone to ask for something or make an offer

is a formal appeal, not merely an initial casual contact to someone

C

to call in

vsto call on

193 3.0

Ask someone to come in to help, often an expert or worker

is a formal appeal but usually to invite someone physically to help

A

to ask for help

vsto call on

98 1.0

To tell someone you need support with a task or problem

is a formal appeal often used in official or public contexts

C

to call for help

vsto call on

59 1.6

To ask loudly for help in an emergency

is a formal appeal used in organized requests, not an urgent shouted plea

S

to solicit

vsto call on

• Formal

48 6.8

To ask people for something, often in a formal or persistent way

is a formal appeal but not necessarily persistent or insistent

B

to beseech

vsto call on

• Formal

47 8.2

To ask someone earnestly for something

is a formal appeal without such intense emotional pleading

I

to implore

vsto call on

• Formal

40 5.3

To ask someone very seriously to do or not do something

is a formal appeal that is not necessarily desperate or frantic

S

to seek help

vsto call on

30 2.0

Ask someone for support when you face a problem

is a formal appeal rather than merely trying to obtain help oneself

I

to inquire

vsto call on

• Formal

16 3.7

To ask questions as part of an official investigation

is a formal appeal that also covers help or action not only information

E

to entreat

vsto call on

• Formal

12 8.1

Ask someone in a serious, emotional way to do something

is a formal appeal that lacks the same urgent, pleading tone

C

to call for support

vsto call on

1 3.1

To ask people or groups for help when you need it

is a formal appeal that also includes information requests or other actions

Antonyms

I

to ignore

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

How Forceful

to order

902 1.3

to demand

943 2.7

to urge

591 3.2

to call on

• Formal

187 3.5

to ask

∞ 1.0

to request

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology