deactivate
verb
de·ac·ti·vate
(ˌ)dē-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt 
deactivated; deactivating; deactivates
: to make inactive or ineffective
deactivate a bomb
deactivate a chemical compound
Examples of deactivate in a Sentence
deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock
Recent Examples on the Web
Northstar’s media contact number has been deactivated and an email to the resort was not immediately returned.
—
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The man looks down almost immediately after the light turns on when the light deactivates.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Foley says during the time the crimes were being committed, Healey only deactivated the EBT debit cards flagged for fraud and did not prosecute any individuals connected to those cards and benefits.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The man looks down almost immediately after the light turns on when the light deactivates.
—Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Foley says during the time the crimes were being committed, Healey only deactivated the EBT debit cards flagged for fraud and did not prosecute any individuals connected to those cards and benefits.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Cite this Entry
“Deactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deactivate. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
deactivate
transitive verb
de·ac·ti·vate
(ˈ)dē-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt
deactivated; deactivating
1
: to make inactive or ineffective
2
: to deprive of chemical activity
deactivate an enzyme
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
