The difference between “evoke” and “invoke”
Evoke and invoke are both transitive verbs with the same Latin root word, vox, meaning “voice“. Both have to do with “calling forth” something, but how they differ is in what it is that they call upon, about, or towards:
The smell of freshly baked bread always `evokes` happy childhood memories.
The company president decided to `invoke` the emergency clause in the contract.
The defendant tried to `evoke` his right to remain silent.
Visiting the old house `invoked` a sense of sadness in her.
- Evoke mainly refers to calling forth emotions, feelings and memories; e.g., “visiting my childhood home evokes bittersweet memories and feelings“.
- Invoke is often calls upon a formal authority, institution or law; as in to “invoke your constitutional rights“, or rights to an attorney.
| examples with “evoke” | examples with ‘invoke” |
| The novel’s ending evoked a feeling of loneliness in me. | The article invokes numerous scholars to help support its argument. |
Evoke could be replaced with words or phrases, such as, brought about, gave rise to, caused, arose, and so forth.
“Evoke”, “invoke” and “provoke”
Provoke is another word (and verb) that sounds and is spelled similar to invoke and evoke, (can you guess the pattern?)
They all share the same Latin root word; i.e., vox meaning voice. However, provoke differs from its homophonic counterparts in that it describes purposely stirring up, or aiming to bring about a reaction or emotions from others, mostly in a negative sense. Take the phrase, “don’t provoke them“; this is similar to saying don’t upset or anger them.
Evoke and provoke are synonyms; that said, evoke is less forceful and applies more broadly in terms of the sorts of feelings or memories it refers to.
Sentence examples with “invoke”
Police can invoke the law to regulate access to these places.
RCMP, 1985.
Their sacred dance is performed to invoke ancient gods.
Regulators said they would invoke legal powers to enforce the change.
Old radio programs may invoke comforting memories of the past.
The UN threatened to invoke economic sanctions if the talks were broken off. (UN Chapter VII.)
Sentence examples with “evoke”
That smell always evokes memories of my old school.
‘A detergent designed to evoke the fresh smell of summer meadows.’
“The sight of American asters evokes pleasant memories of childhood”
Peaches evoke memories and bring out the best of summertime activities.
It’s going to the edge to spontaneously improvise and evoke the inner spirit.
Synonyms for “invoke”
The following list of words and phrases have a similar meaning with invoke, and can be used in similar contexts in writing:
- Bring about
- Yield
- Bring rise to
- Generate
- Induce
- Prompt
- At any moment
- Produce
- Effect
- Effectuate
- Bring on
- Cause
“evoke” by associating it with “feelings” – both words have an “e” at the beginning and often relate to emotions being called forth.
Synonyms for “evoke”
The following list of words and phrases have a similar meaning with evoke and can be used in similar contexts. Like with all synonyms, make sure to use the appropriate word given the context.
- Elicit
- Extract
- Arouse
- Conjure
- Provoke
- Educe
- Evince
- Rouse
- Raise
Origin of invoke
Invoke derives from the Latin invocare “call upon, implore.” Invocare is a compound of vox, which means voice in Latin; and the Latin word ‘in’ meaning “upon”.
Origin of evoke
From Latin evocare “call out, rouse, summon.”
In review: evoke and invoke
It makes sense that invoke and evoke are often confused with one another, since they overlap in their meaning and sound similar to each other. Again, this is because they derive from the same Latin root word for voice: vox. Invoke refers to calling upon an authority, or bringing it into effect. Evoke describes the resurfacing or bringing up of a feeling, memory, thought, emotion or spirit.
Read about other confusing words
- Is it Elude or Allude?
- When To Use Infer vs. Imply
- Is it Allot, A lot or Alot?
- Which is it: Allusion or Illusion?
- Insure, Ensure or Assure?
- Averse or Adverse?
Work Sheet
According to the post, what does the verb “evoke” mainly refer to calling forth?
Which verb is often used to call upon a formal authority, institution, or law?
Based on the examples in the post, which phrase is considered incorrect usage?
The post states that ‘evoke’ can be replaced by phrases such as:
The Latin root word that ‘evoke’ and ‘invoke’ share means:
The sight of the old schoolhouse would always _____ memories of her childhood.
The lawyer advised her client to _____ his right to remain silent.
The museum exhibit was designed to _____ a sense of wonder and awe in visitors.
The government can _____ emergency laws during a crisis.
Visiting the old house _____ a sense of sadness in her. (Based on a common mistake mentioned in the post)
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference evoke vs invoke?
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When do you use ‘evoke’?
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When do you use ‘invoke’?
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Can ‘evoke’ be used for rights?
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Can ‘invoke’ describe feelings?
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Yash, D. "What’s the Difference Between Invoke and Evoke?." Grammarflex, Jun 15, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-difference-between-invoke-and-evoke/.
Sources
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The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
