elicit

We soon discovered the best way to elicit a smile from, say, a weary convenience-store attendant or waiter was to casually mention that we were traveling with…seven.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

It’s useful in situations that elicit any kind of strong emotions, not just anger.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

Officials in London always knew that such a dramatic shift in policy towards Israel-Palestine was going to elicit a hostile response, but seemed taken aback by the speed and ferocity of Israel's reaction.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Unfortunately, the underwhelming revelations don’t elicit the tears Kore-eda regularly wrings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

When Brown mentioned that his ex-wife had been murdered, No. 46 tried to elicit from him where he’d been at the time of her death.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

It elicits laughter from the dinner party guests.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026

Each new alarm like this elicits anxieties and murmurs that souring private credit is about to become the new subprime mortgage crisis.

From Barron's ● May 30, 2026

The role should evoke the word’s maternal roots, the sense of comfort and care that a house mother elicits.

From Salon ● May 10, 2026

There are many places where “rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,” from one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, elicits a nod of recognition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026

What elicits the gasp is the fact that they are standing in a forest, her back pressed up against a huge, ancient tree trunk.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

But it also elicited backlash from a camp who did not think the pair were displaying proper mastery of, or reverence for, flamenco history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

That revision was undertaken with analytical rigor: The process took two years, involved 35 agencies, incorporated extensive new and existing research, and elicited over 20,000 comments.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

While most modern disciplines are friendly contests, the shin-kicking elicited winces and moans of sympathy from the crowd of more than 2,500 spectators on Friday.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

The Army research institute conducted some early studies of a potential hantavirus vaccine in people, including one that safely elicited an immune response, according to results published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases in 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

Each name elicited a tick on a list and a brief mnemonic stare from the teacher.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Now, don’t get me wrong: The movie isn’t exactly garnering Oscar buzz, or even eliciting the fervent “you’ve got to see this!” refrain that followed 2014’s “Gone Girl” around.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

Finally, be wary of “rage bait” — intentionally provocative messages or content designed to boost engagement on social media platforms by eliciting negative reactions.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 16, 2026

“Why are we paying extras $180 a day when they look so plastic anyway?” he asked, eliciting slightly nervous chuckles from the audience.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

Then she brought out pop star Lola Young, inviting her into a confessional booth with the hope of eliciting a dark secret.

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

Skilled interrogators from MI5 invited Fuchs to meetings over several weeks, gradually eliciting different details of his involvement in the Soviets' espionage ring.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau