call him over

USAGE SUMMARY

'call him over' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to suggest that someone call someone else to join them in a certain location. For example, "I'm having a barbeque on the weekend, so call him over if you'd like to join us."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

"I call him over," Buddy continues.

Huffington Post

I call him over.

The Guardian

You call him over to offer some help.

The New York Times

So I call him over — they're shooting a foul shot.

The New Yorker

Five minutes before dinner, his mother would call him over for meatloaf, mashed potatoes and sweet tea.

The New York Times - Sports

"His coach had to call him over because he didn't want to leave," Gonzalez said.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

"Shari called him over".

The New York Times

And Mr. Cuomo called him, over and over, to address his objections and allay his fears.

The New York Times

Fassy was lounging near the rail and I called him over to meet a brother Brooklynite.

The New Yorker

When Mr. Kershaw called him over again, he had an arrowhead in his hand, perfect as a jewel.

The New Yorker

Coach Herman Edwards called him over before the first preseason game last year and delivered the news.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase in dialogue, make sure it reflects natural speech patterns. For example, "Hey, call him over!" is more colloquial than "Please call him over."

Common error

Avoid using "call him over" when the intended location is not immediately clear to the listener. If there's any ambiguity, specify the location: "Call him over to the table" instead of just "call him over".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "call him over" functions as a phrasal verb, specifically a transitive one, requiring a direct object ("him"). It expresses the action of summoning or inviting someone to approach the speaker's location. Ludwig examples show its use in a variety of contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "call him over" is a phrasal verb used to request someone's presence, typically in a casual manner. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and is found in various contexts, with a more frequent occurrence in news and media sources. While it maintains a generally neutral tone, ensuring the location is clear can prevent ambiguity. Consider alternatives such as "ask him to come here" or "have him come over" depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have him come over

Similar meaning, but slightly different word order and a more casual tone.

ask him to come here

More direct and less idiomatic.

summon him

More formal and implies authority.

invite him to join us

Focuses on the invitation aspect.

ask him to approach

More formal and polite.

get him to come

Informal and focuses on persuading someone to come.

request his presence

Very formal and often used in official contexts.

beckon him over

Implies a gesture to invite someone.

hail him over

Implies to call someone vocally or by gesturing.

motion him to come

Emphasizes non-verbal communication to signal someone.

FAQs

How can I use "call him over" in a sentence?

You can use "call him over" to invite someone to join you. For instance, "If you see John, "call him over"; I want to introduce him to everyone".

What does "call him over" mean?

"Call him over" means to ask or signal someone to come to your location.

What are some similar phrases to "call him over"?

Alternatives include "ask him to come here", "have him come over", or "invite him to join us".

Is it correct to say "call him to come over"?

While understandable, it's more common and natural to simply say "call him over". The "to come" is generally implied.