noun

der Anruf, -e

call

Eine Situation, in der jemand über das Telefon mit einer anderen Person spricht oder Kontakt aufnimmt.

Definition & meaning

Anruf most commonly means a telephone call—either the act of calling someone or the call itself.

It can also mean a call or appeal for someone’s attention or help, though this use is less common and often occurs in set expressions.

Grammar & Word origin

Anruf is a masculine noun: der Anruf. Its plural is die Anrufe.

It is formed from the separable verb anrufen , meaning “to phone” or “to call out to,” and the noun Ruf , meaning “call” or “cry.” The prefix an- contributes the sense of directing a call toward someone.

Synonyms & antonyms

Telefonat — a telephone conversation; it emphasizes the conversation rather than the call as an event.
Telefongespräch — a telephone conversation, much like Telefonat, but more explicitly describes the exchange of speech.
Rückruf — a return call; it is specifically a call made in response to an earlier call.

There is no common direct antonym for Anruf.