2 syllables: in, vokes. Stress on vokes.
in-VOHKS
/ˌɪˈnvoʊks/
invokes is pronounced in-VOHKS (/ˌɪˈnvoʊks/). It has two syllables (in-vokes), with the stress on "vokes". Invokes is a verb meaning to call forth, appeal to, or cite as an authority or inspiration. In use, it often signals summoning a response or memory, or appealing to tradition or expertise to justify a point. The word emphasizes an intentional act of bringing something to mind or invoking a principle, deity, or precedent.
Invokes is a verb meaning to call forth, appeal to, or cite as an authority or inspiration. In use, it often signals summoning a response or memory, or appealing to tradition or expertise to justify a point. The word emphasizes an intentional act of bringing something to mind or invoking a principle, deity, or precedent.
- You might flatten the second syllable’s vowel to a quick /ə/ or /ɪ/ in fast speech. Fix: anchor the second syllable with a pronounced /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and keep stress on the second syllable. - Some speakers mute the /v/ or merge /v/ into a /w/ sound before /ks/. Fix: keep the labiodental /v/ sound clearly before /ks/; practice with minimal pairs. - Final /s/ or /z/ is often devoiced or softened. Fix: ensure /ks/ is released crisply, not just /k/ or /s/ separately.
"The lawyer invoked a previous ruling to support her argument."
"During the ceremony, the elder invoked the spirits of the ancestors."
"The keynote speaker invoked a famous quote to frame the discussion."
Pronounce as in-VOHKS, with the stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /ɪnˈvoʊks/, UK /ɪnˈvəʊks/, AU /ɪnˈvəʊks/. Start with /ɪ/ (short i), then /n/, then a strong open-to-mid back vowel /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, and end with /ks/. Lips rounded for the /oʊ/ portion, tongue relaxed. You’ll feel a light but firm release in the final /ks/.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (in-VOHKS). Correction: shift stress to the second syllable: in-VOHKS. (2) Reducing the second vowel to a schwa /ə/ (in-VOHks). Correction: maintain a clear /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ vowel in the second syllable. (3) Final consonant blend lost (pronouncing as /-oks/ or /-oks/ with a weak ending). Correction: ensure a crisp /ks/ release.
US: /ɪnˈvoʊks/ with rhoticity unaffected; UK: /ɪnˈvəʊks/ with a potentially more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; AU: /ɪnˈvəʊks/ similar to UK but with broader vowel quality and more Australian vowel narrowing in /əʊ/. The main difference is the second-syllable vowel: US uses a clearer diphthong /oʊ/; UK/AU often reduce toward /əʊ/ depending on speaker. The ending /ks/ remains consistent.
Because the second syllable contains a strong diphthong that changes across accents, and the stress on the second syllable makes the /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ vowel length-sensitive. The /v/ and /ʊ/ or /ə/ quality before /ks/ can blur in rapid speech, causing mispronunciations like /ɪnˈvɒks/ or /ɪnˈvoʊks/ with inconsistent vowel height. Focus on a distinct /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and a crisp /ks/ release.
No silent letters in inv o kes movement: every letter corresponds to a sound. The second syllable contains a vowel that is a diphthong in many dialects (/oʊ/ or /əʊ/). The /n/ is pronounced normally; the final /ks/ is a single consonant cluster with a clear voiceless release. The most dialect-sensitive feature is the quality of the second-syllable vowel and how sharply you articulate the /z/ or /s/ depending on context.
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- US: stress on -vo-; ensure /oʊ/ is a bright diphthong; voicing is clear for the /v/. - UK: smaller vowel height variation; use /əʊ/ which can be less bright; maintain clear /v/ before /ks/. - AU: similar to UK but with broader vowels and a slightly more centralized /ə/. Practice with IPA: US /ɪnˈvoʊks/, UK /ɪnˈvəʊks/, AU /ɪnˈvəʊks/.
Invokes derives from the Latin invocare, meaning to call upon, invoke, or summon. The prefix in- signifies toward or upon, while vocare means to call, voice, or speak. The Latin invocare evolved into Old French invoquer, then Middle English invoken/invoken(e) before settling on invokes in modern English. The evolution tracks a semantic shift from “to call upon” in a literal sense (a person or deity) to more abstract uses (to call forth memories, principles, or authorities). First attested forms appear in the late Middle English period, with usage in legal, liturgical, and rhetorical contexts becoming more frequent in the Early Modern English era as writers systematically borrowed Latin roots to express formal acts of summoning or appealing to authority.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "invokes" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "invokes"
-kes sounds
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