To request that someone come to you, or to order something to be delivered.
To tell someone to go and get a person, or to order something to be brought to you.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To ask someone to come to you, typically by sending a message or messenger.
"The king sent for his advisers as soon as the news arrived."
He sent for Jane, and she came at once.
— Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847)
To order or request that something be delivered or brought to you.
"She sent for a copy of the birth certificate from the local registry office."
To call for emergency help, such as a doctor or the police.
"Somebody send for an ambulance — he's collapsed on the floor!"
Slightly formal or old-fashioned when used for summoning people. Still current in everyday contexts such as ordering food or requesting documents.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "send for" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.