This is part of the difference between series.
I recently encountered a document that misused the word invoke, confusing it for evoke. So I thought I’d do a post on the difference between the two.
Evoke
Evoke is used when the speaker wants to communicate a calling forth or a calling up. For example, if you want to recall a memory or prompt emotions.
- That ratatouille evoked childhood memories of my mum’s cooking.
- Hearing that girl’s story evoked sympathy in his once cold heart.
Invoke
Invoke, on the other hand, is used more when the speaker wants to communicate putting something into effect or calling upon laws or authority.
- The teacher invoked the school dress code when the Grade 11 student wore a shirt with profanity on it.
- He invoked his right to remain silent because he knew he’d been wrongly apprehended.
Which words do you confuse? Let me know in the comments below.