What does elicit mean?
"Elicit" is a formal transitive verb meaning to draw out or bring forth something that is not immediately given: a response, a reaction, a fact, or a feeling. A question can elicit an answer, a joke can elicit laughter, and a skilled interviewer can elicit information that direct questioning fails to uncover. The verb implies a kind of careful drawing-out rather than force — the desired thing already exists within the person or situation, and elicit simply brings it to the surface. It appears frequently in journalism, law, psychology, and everyday commentary on human behavior, often in fixed pairings such as "elicit a response" or "elicit information." Learners should be careful not to confuse it with the adjective "illicit," which sounds nearly identical but means illegal or forbidden. Mastering elicit gives writers a precise, elegant alternative to vaguer verbs like get or cause when describing how reactions and truths are drawn from people.
verbTo draw out or evoke a response, answer, reaction, or piece of information, typically from someone or something. Often used of facts obtained through questioning, skillful questioning, or subtle prompting.
- To draw out or evoke a response, answer, emotion, or reaction from someone.
- To obtain information, facts, or a statement through careful questioning or skilled prompting.
"The lawyer's careful questions elicited a confession the police had been unable to obtain."
"Her speech was designed to elicit an emotional response from the audience."
"The detective used gentle repetition to elicit details the witness had initially forgotten."
Elicit and illicit are pronounced almost identically — but one means to draw the truth out, and the other describes what you were doing when you had to.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of elicit
"Elicit" comes from the Latin past participle "elicitus," meaning "drawn out," derived from the verb "elicere" — formed from "ex-" (out) plus "lacere" (to entice or lure). It entered English in the early 17th century with the sense of drawing forth by skill or persuasion. It shares this Latin root with "licit" (permitted) and "illicit" (not permitted), both from the same base idea of what is allowed versus what must be drawn out or forbidden.
How elicit is actually used
Formal to neutral in register; more common in written English (journalism, law, psychology) than casual conversation. It carries no inherent negative connotation — unlike "extract" or "coerce," which can imply pressure — though it is often paired with contexts involving questioning or probing.
Easily confused with elicit
"Elicit" is a verb meaning to draw out a response or information, while "illicit" is an adjective meaning illegal or forbidden.