evoke sensation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evoke sensation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing how something, such as art, music, or literature, can trigger feelings or physical responses in a person. Example: "The haunting melody seemed to evoke sensation, transporting the audience to a different time and place."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Mr. Streever's prose does what E. L. Doctorow said good writing is supposed to do, which is to evoke sensation in the reader — "not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon".

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

A picture of appetizing food may evoke sensations of taste and smell.

Britannica

If the intensities are increased, however, the lights evoke sensations of blue and green, respectively.

Encyclopedia Britannica

We carry color memories just as we do smell memories (smell being our purest sense), and they evoke sensations.

The New York Times

Soft cheese, mushrooms, wines, older women and little luxuries — purified essences that evoke sensations of the past — make the certainty of mortality just so much sexier.

The New York Times

One of the great triumphs of Winslow Homer's "Summer Night," says Harvard Art Museums Elizabethh and John Moors Cabot Director Martha Tedeschi, is its ability to evoke sensations — such as the music the women are dancing to — that are otherwise impossible to put into visual art.

Harvard University

To be sure, it is possible by stimulating particular brain regions to evoke sensations, memories, even emotions, but this does not mean that the particular memory or whatever is physically located in the region, merely that activity in that region may be a necessary correlate of the memory.

The Guardian - Books

He also gives accounts of many scientific studies which suggest that activities such as meditation, yoga, or prayer evoke sensations, which, although perceived as evidence of the divine or sacred, are actually the ways in which our brain interprets neurochemical processes.

Huffington Post

Their objectual autonomy is exposed while simultaneously evoking sensations, memories and associations in an immersive intensity.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Merely being around Soames – who is bulky, self-assured, and often speaks in similes that involve things like spaniels, grandmothers, rhododendrons and oysters – evokes sensations of an earlier, stronger Britain.

The Guardian - Business

Ms. Snider's songs, scored for a solo vocalist, string octet, electric guitar, double bass and two percussionists, had an elegiac quality that deftly evoked sensations of abandonment, agitation, grief and reconciliation.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "evoke sensation" when you want to emphasize the power of something to create a specific sensory experience in the reader or audience. It's particularly effective in descriptive writing and analyses of art or music.

Common error

Avoid using "evoke sensation" in contexts where simpler verbs like "create" or "produce" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound pretentious. Instead, reserve it for situations where the sensory experience is complex or profound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evoke sensation" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "evoke" is the verb and "sensation" is the direct object. It describes the act of bringing forth or stimulating a sensory experience. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "evoke sensation" is a grammatically sound and relatively uncommon expression used to describe the act of stimulating sensory experiences. As Ludwig AI states, it's appropriate to discuss how art, music, or literature can trigger feelings or physical responses. Its usage spans across news, academia, and science, indicating a neutral to formal register. While alternatives like "elicit feelings" or "stir emotions" exist, "evoke sensation" provides a more specific and sensory-focused description. When using the phrase, remember to reserve it for situations where the sensory experience is complex or profound.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

elicit a feeling

Changes the verb to 'elicit' and uses the broader term 'feeling' instead of the more specific 'sensation'.

call forth a sensation

Replaces evoke with “call forth” maintaining a formal tone and highlighting the act of summoning the feeling

stir emotion

Replaces "evoke" with "stir" and uses "emotion" which can be seen as a deeper feeling than a "sensation".

arouse a sense

Uses "arouse" instead of "evoke", and "sense" as a synonym for "sensation".

inspire a feeling

Indicates a more subtle and inspirational way to generate a feeling.

generate a feeling

Employs "generate" to indicate creation of feeling, which is similar to "evoking" a "sensation".

induce a feeling

Replaces "evoke" with "induce," which means to bring about or cause a feeling.

create an impression

Shifts from sensory experience to the creation of an impression, altering the focus slightly.

produce a reaction

Focuses on the reactive aspect, using "produce" and the more general term "reaction".

trigger a response

Highlights the triggering aspect, suggesting an automatic response to a stimulus.

FAQs

How can I use "evoke sensation" in a sentence?

You can use "evoke sensation" to describe how something stimulates the senses and creates a feeling. For example, "The artist's use of color and light seemed to evoke sensation of warmth and joy."

What can I say instead of "evoke sensation"?

You can use alternatives like "elicit a feeling", "stir emotion", or "arouse a sense" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "evoke sensation" or "create sensation"?

"Evoke sensation" implies a subtle and nuanced generation of feeling, often tied to memory or association. "Create sensation" is more direct and suggests simply producing a sensory experience. The better choice depends on the specific context you're describing.

What kind of writing benefits most from using "evoke sensation"?

Descriptive writing, literary analysis, and artistic critiques often benefit from the use of "evoke sensation". It's useful when detailing the sensory impact of a piece of art, music, or writing on its audience.