Call vs. Invoke: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 18, 2023
"Call" generally means to shout out or contact someone; "Invoke" means to call upon a law, authority, or higher power, often for assistance.
Key Differences
"Call" typically refers to the act of shouting, using a phone, or otherwise contacting someone. It's a direct form of communication, often requiring a response. In contrast, "Invoke" has a formal or ceremonial connotation, often used in the context of summoning assistance, a presence, or evoking an authority, like a law or deity, typically in a solemn or ritualistic manner.
"Call" is versatile, used in various contexts, such as to describe naming something or to request someone's presence or attention. However, "Invoke" is more specialized, commonly associated with formal appeals or prayer, and is less about communication and more about solicitation or implementation of something intangible or authoritative.
"Call" can be casual or formal, depending on context, and implies a clear, often immediate, two-way interaction or reaction. On the other hand, "Invoke" suggests a one-sided appeal that doesn't necessarily expect an immediate response; it's more about drawing on something for effect or support.
"Call" is a term that's commonly used in everyday language, encompassing a broad range of actions from using a name to making a phone call. Conversely, "Invoke" is less commonly used in daily conversation and is often reserved for specific contexts, particularly where there is a sense of solemnity or gravity, such as legal settings or spiritual practices.
In technology, especially programming, "call" refers to the execution of a function or procedure within a code. In comparison, "invoke" also refers to the triggering of a routine in programming; however, it carries a nuance of initiating a more complex or integrated operation, often involving an object or system response.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To shout out or contact
To call upon authority or higher power
Use
Direct communication
Formal appeal or implementation
Connotation
Casual or formal, immediate response
Solemn, authoritative, no immediate response
Grammar
Used as verb and noun
Primarily used as a verb
Common Contexts
Everyday language, technology
Legal, religious, programming
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Call and Invoke Definitions
Call
To shout out or cry.
He called her name across the street.
Invoke
To be the cause of; bring about.
His speech invoked a lot of emotions in the audience.
Call
To request the presence or visit of.
We called a technician to fix the air conditioning.
Invoke
To summon something into action or bring to bear.
The séance was supposed to invoke spirits.
Call
To make a prediction.
It's too early to call the outcome of the game.
Invoke
To call on (a higher power) for assistance, support, or inspiration
"Stretching out her hands she had the air of a Greek woman who invoked a deity" (Ford Madox Ford).
Call
To say in a loud voice; announce
Called my name from across the street.
Calling out numbers.
Invoke
To appeal to or cite in support or justification.
Call
To demand or ask for the presence of
Called the children to dinner.
Call the police.
Invoke
To call for earnestly; solicit
Invoked the help of a passing motorist.
Call
To demand or ask for a meeting of; convene or convoke
Call the legislature into session.
Invoke
To summon with incantations; conjure.
Call
To order or request to undertake a particular activity or work; summon
She was called for jury duty. He was called to the priesthood.
Invoke
To resort to; use or apply
"Shamelessly, he invokes coincidence to achieve ironic effect" (Newsweek).
Call
To give the command for; order
Call a work stoppage.
Invoke
(Computers) To activate or start (a program, for example).
Call
To communicate or try to communicate with by telephone
Called me at nine.
Invoke
(transitive) To call upon (a person, a god) for help, assistance or guidance.
Call
To dial (a telephone number)
Call 911 for help.
Invoke
(transitive) To solicit, petition for, appeal to a favorable attitude.
The envoy invoked the King of Kings's magnanimity to reduce his province's tribute after another drought.
Call
To lure (prey) by imitating the characteristic cry of an animal
Call ducks.
Invoke
(transitive) To call to mind (something) for some purpose.
Call
To cause to come to the mind or to attention
A story that calls to mind an incident in my youth.
Invoke
(transitive) To appeal for validation to a (notably cited) authority.
In certain Christian circles, invoking the Bible constitutes irrefutable proof.
Call
To name
What will you call the baby?.
Invoke
(transitive) To conjure up with incantations.
This satanist ritual invokes Beelzebub.
Call
To consider or regard as being of a particular type or kind; characterize
Let's call the game a draw. I'd hardly call him a good manager.
Invoke
(transitive) To bring about as an inevitable consequence.
Blasphemy is taboo as it may invoke divine wrath.
Call
To designate; label
Nobody calls me a liar.
Invoke
To cause (a program or subroutine) to execute.
Interactive programs let the users enter choices and invoke the corresponding routines.
Call
To demand payment of
Call a loan.
Invoke
To call on for aid or protection; to invite earnestly or solemnly; to summon; to address in prayer; to solicit or demand by invocation; to implore; as, to invoke the Supreme Being, or to invoke His and blessing.
Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, . . . Invoke his warlike spirit.
Call
To require the presentation of (a bond) for redemption before maturity.
Invoke
Evoke or call forth, with or as if by magic;
Raise the specter of unemployment
He conjured wild birds in the air
Stir a disturbance
Call down the spirits from the mountain
Call
To force the sale of (a stock or commodity) by exercising a call option.
Invoke
Cite as an authority; resort to;
He invoked the law that would save him
I appealed to the law of 1900
She invoked an ancient law
Call
To stop or postpone (a game) because of bad weather, darkness, or other adverse conditions.
Invoke
Request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection;
Appeal to somebody for help
Invoke God in times of trouble
Call
To declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
Call a runner out.
Call a penalty for holding.
Invoke
To call upon a deity or supernatural power through prayer.
They invoked the gods for a successful harvest.
Call
To indicate a decision in regard to
Calling balls and strikes.
Called a close play at home plate.
Invoke
To appeal to an authority for validation or support.
She invoked her constitutional rights.
Call
To give the orders or signals for
A quarterback who called a poor play.
Invoke
To call for earnestly; solicit.
The charity event invoked widespread support and donations.
Call
To describe the intended outcome of (one's billiard shot) before playing.
Call
In poker, to place a bet equal to (the preceding bet or bettor).
Call
To indicate or characterize accurately in advance; predict
It is often difficult to call the outcome of an election.
Call
To challenge the truthfulness or genuineness of
Called the debater on a question of fact.
Call
To shout directions in rhythm for (a square dance).
Call
To speak loudly; shout
A swimmer who was calling for help.
Call
To utter a characteristic cry. Used of an animal
Geese calling in the early morning.
Call
To communicate or try to communicate with someone by telephone
I called twice, but no one answered.
Call
To pay a short visit
We called to pay our respects. He called on the neighbors but they weren't home.
Call
(Games) In poker, to place a bet equal to the preceding bet.
Call
A loud cry; a shout.
Call
The characteristic cry of an animal.
Call
A sound or an instrument made to imitate such a cry, used as a lure
A moose call.
Call
A telephone communication or connection.
Call
Need or occasion
There was no call for an apology.
Call
Demand
There isn't much call for buggy whips today.
Call
A claim on a person's time or life
The call of duty.
Call
A short visit, especially one made as a formality or for business or professional purposes.
Call
A summons or invitation.
Call
A signal, such as that made by a horn or bell.
Call
The sounding of a horn to encourage hounds during a hunt.
Call
A strong inner urge or prompting; a vocation
A call to the priesthood.
Call
The strong attraction or appeal of a given activity or environment
The call of the wild.
Answered the call of the desert.
Call
A roll call.
Call
A notice of rehearsal times posted in a theater.
Call
A decision made by an umpire or referee.
Call
An announced description of a game or race, as by a sportscaster.
Call
A direction or series of directions rhythmically called out to square dancers.
Call
A demand for payment of a debt.
Call
A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
Call
An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
Call
A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
Call
A telephone conversation; a phone call.
I received several phone calls today.
I received several calls today.
Call
An instance of calling someone on the telephone.
I made a call to Jim, but he didn't answer.
Call
A short visit, usually for social purposes.
I paid a call to a dear friend of mine.
Call
(nautical) A visit by a ship or boat to a port.
The ship made a call at Southampton.
Call
A cry or shout.
He heard a call from the other side of the room.
Call
A decision or judgement.
That was a good call.
Call
The characteristic cry of a bird or other animal.
That sound is the distinctive call of the cuckoo bird.
Call
A beckoning or summoning.
I had to yield to the call of the wild.
Call
The right to speak at a given time during a debate or other public event; the floor.
The Prime Minister has the call.
I give the call to the Manager of Opposition Business.
Call
(finance) call option
Call
(cricket) The act of calling to the other batsman.
Call
(cricket) The state of being the batsman whose role it is to call (depends on where the ball goes.)
Call
(uncountable) A work shift which requires one to be available when requested, i.e. on call.
Call
(computing) The act of jumping to a subprogram, saving the means to return to the original point.
Call
A statement of a particular state, or rule, made in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
There was a 20 dollar bet on the table, and my call was 9.
Call
(poker) The act of matching a bet made by a player who has previously bet in the same round of betting.
Call
A note blown on the horn to encourage the dogs in a hunt.
Call
(nautical) A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate to summon the sailors to duty.
Call
A pipe or other instrument to call birds or animals by imitating their note or cry. A game call.
Call
An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.
Call
(archaic) Vocation; employment; calling.
Call
A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.
Call
A meeting with a client for paid sex; hookup; job.
Call
(law) A lawyer who was called to the bar (became licensed as a lawyer) in a specified year.
Call
(in negative constructions) Need; necessity.
There's no call for that kind of bad language!
Call
To use one's voice.
Call
(intransitive) To request, summon, or beckon.
That person is hurt; call for help!
Call
(intransitive) To cry or shout.
Call
(transitive) To utter in a loud or distinct voice.
To call the roll of a military company
Call
(ambitransitive) To contact by telephone.
Why don’t you call me in the morning?
Why don’t you call tomorrow?
Call
(transitive) To declare in advance.
The captains call the coin toss.
Call
To rouse from sleep; to awaken.
Call
To declare (an effort or project) to be a failure.
After the third massive failure, John called the whole initiative.
Call
To request that one's band play (a particular tune).
Call
To visit.
Call
To pay a (social) visit often used with "on", "round", or "at"; used by salespeople with "again" to invite customers to come again.
We could always call on a friend.
The engineer called round whilst you were away.
Call
To stop at a station or port.
This train calls at Reading, Slough and London Paddington.
Our cruise ship called at Bristol Harbour.
Call
To come to pass; to afflict.
Call
To name, identify or describe.
Call
(ditransitive) To name or refer to.
Why don’t we dispense with the formalities. Please call me Al.
Call
(in passive) Of a person, to have as one's name; of a thing, to have as its name.
I’m called John.
A very tall building is called a skyscraper.
Call
(transitive) To predict.
He called twelve of the last three recessions.
Call
To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact.
They call the distance ten miles.
That's enough work. Let's call it a day and go home.
Call
(transitive) To formally recognise a death: especially to announce and record the time, place and fact of a person’s death.
Call
(transitive) To claim the existence of some malfeasance; to denounce as.
I call bullshit.
She called foul on their scheme.
Call
(obsolete) To disclose the class or character of; to identify.
Call
Direct or indirect use of the voice.
Call
(cricket) (of a batsman): To shout directions to the other batsman on whether or not they should take a run.
Call
(of a fielder): To shout to other fielders that he intends to take a catch (thus avoiding collisions).
Call
To equal the same amount that other players are currently betting.
I bet $800 and Jane raised to $1600. My options: call (match her $1600 bet), reraise or fold.
Call
To match the current bet amount, in preparation for a raise in the same turn. (Usually, players are forbidden to announce one's play this way.)
I’ll call your 300, and raise to 600!
Call
(transitive) To state, or invoke a rule, in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
My partner called two spades.
Call
To require, demand.
He felt called to help the old man.
Call
To cause to be verbally subjected to.
The basis for his conclusion was called into doubt
Call
To lay claim to an object or role which is up for grabs.
I call the comfy chair!
Call
To announce the early extinction of a debt by prepayment, usually at a premium.
Call
To demand repayment of a loan.
Call
To jump to (another part of a program) to perform some operation, returning to the original point on completion.
A recursive function is one that calls itself.
Call
(Yorkshire) To scold.
Call
(sports) To make a decision as a referee or umpire.
The goal was called offside.
Call
(cue sports) To tell in advance which shot one is attempting.
Every shot must be called.
Call
To command or request to come or be present; to summon; as, to call a servant.
Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain
Call
To summon to the discharge of a particular duty; to designate for an office, or employment, especially of a religious character; - often used of a divine summons; as, to be called to the ministry; sometimes, to invite; as, to call a minister to be the pastor of a church.
Paul . . . called to be an apostle
The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Call
To invite or command to meet; to convoke; - often with together; as, the President called Congress together; to appoint and summon; as, to call a meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
Now call we our high court of Parliament.
Call
To give name to; to name; to address, or speak of, by a specifed name.
If you would but call me Rosalind.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
Call
To regard or characterize as of a certain kind; to denominate; to designate.
What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Call
To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact; as, they call the distance ten miles; he called it a full day's work.
[The] army is called seven hundred thousand men.
Call
To show or disclose the class, character, or nationality of.
This speech calls him Spaniard.
Call
To utter in a loud or distinct voice; - often with off; as, to call, or call off, the items of an account; to call the roll of a military company.
No parish clerk who calls the psalm so clear.
Call
To invoke; to appeal to.
I call God for a witness.
Call
To rouse from sleep; to awaken.
If thou canst awake by four o' the clock.I prithee call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly.
Call
To speak in loud voice; to cry out; to address by name; - sometimes with to.
You must call to the nurse.
The angel of God called to Hagar.
Call
To make a demand, requirement, or request.
They called for rooms, and he showed them one.
Call
To make a brief visit; also, to stop at some place designated, as for orders.
He ordered her to call at the house once a week.
Call
The act of calling; - usually with the voice, but often otherwise, as by signs, the sound of some instrument, or by writing; a summons; an entreaty; an invitation; as, a call for help; the bugle's call.
I rose as at thy call, but found thee not.
Call
A signal, as on a drum, bugle, trumpet, or pipe, to summon soldiers or sailors to duty.
Call
An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.
Call
A requirement or appeal arising from the circumstances of the case; a moral requirement or appeal.
Dependence is a perpetual call upon humanity.
Running into danger without any call of duty.
Call
A divine vocation or summons.
St. Paul himself believed he did well, and that he had a call to it, when he persecuted the Christians.
Call
Vocation; employment.
Call
A short visit; as, to make a call on a neighbor; also, the daily coming of a tradesman to solicit orders.
The baker's punctual call.
Call
A note blown on the horn to encourage the hounds.
Call
A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate, to summon the sailors to duty.
Call
The cry of a bird; also a noise or cry in imitation of a bird; or a pipe to call birds by imitating their note or cry.
Call
A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.
Call
The privilege to demand the delivery of stock, grain, or any commodity, at a fixed, price, at or within a certain time agreed on.
Call
See Assessment, 4.
Call
A telephone connection;
She reported several anonymous calls
He placed a phone call to London
He heard the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call
Call
A special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course;
He was disappointed that he had not heard the Call
Call
A loud utterance; often in protest or opposition;
The speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience
Call
A demand especially in the phrase
The call of duty
Call
The characteristic sound produced by a bird;
A bird will not learn its song unless it hears it at an early age
Call
A brief social visit;
Senior professors' wives no longer make afternoon calls on newcomers
Call
A demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring his margin up to the minimum requirement
Call
A demand for a show of hands in a card game;
After two raises there was a call
Call
A request;
Many calls for Christmas stories
Not many calls for buggywhips
Call
An instruction that interrupts the program being executed;
Pascal performs calls by simply giving the name of the routine to be executed
Call
Brief visit in an official or professional capacity;
The pastor's visits to his parishioners
A visit to a dentist
The salesman's call on a customer
Call
(sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee;
He was ejected for protesting the call
Call
The option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
Call
Assign a specified, proper name to;
They named their son David
The new school was named after the famous Civil Rights leader
Call
Get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone;
I tried to call you all night
Take two aspirin and call me in the morning
Call
Ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality;
He called me a bastard
She called her children lazy and ungrateful
Call
Order, request, or command to come;
She was called into the director's office
Call the police!
Call
Utter a sudden loud cry;
She cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle
I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me
Call
Pay a brief visit;
The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens
Call
Call a meeting; invite or command to meet;
The Wannsee Conference was called to discuss the `Final Solution'
The new dean calls meetings every week
Call
Order or request or give a command for;
The unions called a general strike for Sunday
Call
Order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role;
He was already called 4 times for jury duty
They called him to active military duty
Call
Indicate a decision in regard to;
Call balls and strikes behind the plate
Call
Stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather;
Call a football game
Call
Read aloud to check for omissions or absentees;
Call roll
Call
Send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message;
Hawaii is calling!
A transmitter in Samoa was heard calling
Call
Declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee;
Call a runner out
Call
Utter a characteristic note or cry;
Bluejays called to one another
Call
Utter in a loud voice or announce;
He called my name
The auctioneer called the bids
Call
Make a prediction about; tell in advance;
Call the outcome of an election
Call
Challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense;
He deserves to be called on that
Call
Consider or regard as being;
I would not call her beautiful
Call
Demand payment of (a loan);
Call a loan
Call
Give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance
Call
Greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name;
He always addresses me with `Sir'
Call me Mister
She calls him by first name
Call
Make a stop in a harbour;
The ship will call in Honolulu tomorrow
Call
Make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands;
He called his trump
Call
Require the presentation of for redemption before maturation;
Call a bond
Call
Lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal;
Call ducks
Call
Challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of;
Call the speaker on a question of fact
Call
Rouse somebody from sleep with a call;
I was called at 5 A.M. this morning
Call
To contact via phone or other communication devices.
I will call the manager about the issue.
Call
To name or designate.
They decided to call the puppy Buster.
FAQs
Can "call" mean to predict something?
Yes, "call" can mean making a prediction, like calling the outcome of a game.
Can "invoke" be used in legal contexts?
Yes, "invoke" is often used to mean calling upon a law or right.
Is "call" only related to vocal shouts?
No, "call" also refers to contacting someone via phone or naming something.
Can "call" be a noun?
Yes, "call" can be a noun, as in "a phone call."
Is "call" used in technology?
Yes, in programming, to "call" a function means to execute it.
Is "invoke" used in everyday conversation?
Less commonly; it's often reserved for specific, formal contexts.
Does "invoke" always involve spirituality?
No, "invoke" can also mean to appeal to any authority or principle.
What's a common context for "invoke"?
It's often used in legal or spiritual discussions.
What's the difference between "call" and "invoke" in programming?
Both can mean to execute a function, but "invoke" often suggests a more complex operation.
Is "invoke" casual or formal?
"Invoke" is usually more formal and often used in serious contexts.
What does "call out" mean?
It means to challenge or reprimand someone publicly.
Can "call" imply a visit?
Yes, like "calling on a neighbor."
Does "invoke" imply action?
Yes, it often implies summoning or causing something to happen.
Is "call upon" similar to "invoke"?
Somewhat, but "call upon" is less formal and can just mean "ask."
Can "invoke" mean to cause something?
Yes, it can mean to bring about or inspire feelings, reactions, etc.
Can animals "call"?
Yes, in the sense of making vocal sounds to communicate.
Does "call" have a military usage?
Yes, it's used for various purposes, including "call to arms."
Is "invoke" passive?
Not necessarily; it's an active appeal or summoning, though what's invoked may be intangible.
Does "call" have a sense of urgency?
It can, especially in contexts like "a call to action."
Can "invoke" be used in science?
Yes, like invoking a principle or theory to explain something.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
