Understanding the Difference Between Evoke and Invoke

Difference Between Evoke and Invoke

History of the Words

Evoke and Invoke come from Latin. “Evoke” comes from “evocare,” meaning “to call out.” “Invoke” comes from “invocare,” meaning “to call upon.” They sound a bit the same but mean different things.

How to Use Them

Evoke means to bring a feeling, memory, or picture to mind. Invoke means to call on a higher power, like a god, or to ask for help or help.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Think of evoke as “exit” (bringing something out, like feelings). Think of invoke as “in” (asking for help to come in).

Examples Using “Evoke”

• The old song evokes happy memories of my childhood.
• The smell of cookies evokes memories of baking with my grandma.
• The photo evokes a sense of lost time.
• The movie evokes strong emotions.
• The story evokes a picture of the past.

Examples Using “Invoke”

• During the prayer, they invoked blessings.
• The wizard invokes a powerful spell.
• She invoked the law to help her.
• They invoked the name of their leader for support.
• The artist invoked the muse to inspire him.

Summary

Evoke means to bring a feeling or memory out. Invoke means to ask for help or call on a higher power. Remember: evoke is like “exit,” and invoke is like “in.”