elicit
verb
elic·it
| \ i-ˈli-sət
\
\
elicited;
eliciting;
elicits
Definition of elicit
1
: to call forth or draw out (something, such as information or a response)
her remarks elicited cheers
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Other Words from elicit
elicitation
\ i-ˌli-sə-ˈtā-shən
, ˌē- \
noun
, ˌē- \
noun
elicitor
\ i-ˈli-sə-tər
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of elicit in a Sentence
If ever there was a two-way pleasure street, it's the delight a baby takes in being tickled and the joy the parent experiences in the tumble of laughter it elicits.
— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 17 Jan. 2005
Gingrich elicits perhaps the greatest sympathy when he talks about the challenge of graduating from a rabble-rousing backbencher in the House minority to presiding over (and trying to control) the first Republican majority in 40 years.
— Richard L. Berke, New York Times Book Review, 17 May 1998
In a wild, captive wolf that is not socialized to man, approach will elicit flight and, if the wolf is cornered, a defensive reaction may be triggered, which is termed the critical-distance reaction.
— Michael W. Fox, The Soul of the Wolf, 1980
She's been trying to elicit the support of other committee members.
My question elicited no response.
She's been unable to elicit much sympathy from the public.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Similarly, different relationships can elicit different love languages. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Here’s How To Figure Out Your Love Language," 29 Aug. 2019 Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett elicit some memorable performances from the family members, especially Nicky Guadagni as Aunt Helene, who emerges as the supporting breakout star, glowering like no one has ever glowered before. — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, "1-percenter slasher flick ‘Ready or Not’ too sardonic to be taken seriously as satire," 20 Aug. 2019 But the blank slate of a new home can elicit blank stares from prospective homebuyers. — Stephanie Walden, USA TODAY, "Getting ready to buy your first home? Check out these tips first," 12 Aug. 2019 True, witnessing another person washing her hands versus clipping her toenails elicits different responses in most people, but etiquette prefers to err on the side of consideration — and of keeping the peace. — Judith Martin, The Mercury News, "Miss Manners: Our guests got sulky over dinner arrangements," 25 July 2019 Passport problems can elicit very real physical responses in travelers. — Natalie B. Compton, BostonGlobe.com, "What to do when you lose your passport overseas," 25 June 2019 Sometimes a photograph can elicit joy, understanding, or a sense of intimacy that helps the viewer relate to it on a level invisible to the eye. — National Geographic, "Your best photos of the week, May 10, 2019," 10 May 2019 Since the majority of the teachers are women, this can elicit negative reactions from the girls in the class. — WSJ, "There Are Many Obstacles for STEM-Trained Women," 19 July 2018 Apart from eliciting anger, Trump has had at least one other impact in Denmark in recent days, though. — oregonlive.com, "Trump attacks Danish prime minister for her ‘nasty’ comments about his interest in U.S. purchase of Greenland," 21 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elicit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for elicit
elicit
verb
English Language Learners Definition of elicit
formal
: to get (a response, information, etc.) from someone
See the full definition for elicit in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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