call upon

phrase

1
: require, oblige
may be called upon to do several jobs
2
: to make a demand on : depend on
universities are called upon to produce trained professionals

Examples of call upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Etienne can not only shoulder some of that but also provide a receiving spark when called upon. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026 So, just a few LRASM-capable B-52s could provide a lot of potential firepower for the Navy to call upon if needed. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026 Mother Earth Should your costume call upon nature for inspo, look to this piece of art from nail artist San Sung Kim. — Michella Oré, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026 For this, Lancôme has called upon its brand ambassadors Demi Moore, Christy Turlington, Zoé Saldaña and Vanessa Kirby to share their own stories. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call upon

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of call upon was in the 15th century

Rhymes for call upon

See All Rhymes for call upon

Browse Nearby Words

call-up-a-storm
call upon
callus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Call upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20upon. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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