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
In the latest battle, Black’s lawyers on June 30 filed a request for a preliminary injunction asking the Tennessee Department of Corrections to ensure that his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is deactivated in the moments before his execution.
—
Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 3 July 2025
The suspicious accounts have since been deactivated and the agency has disabled the ability to make new accounts from foreign IP addresses.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 July 2025
The devices must also give consumers the option of deactivating such features, unless that action would render the device useless.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025
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.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2025
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.
Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 3 July 2025
The suspicious accounts have since been deactivated and the agency has disabled the ability to make new accounts from foreign IP addresses.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 July 2025
The devices must also give consumers the option of deactivating such features, unless that action would render the device useless.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025
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.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Cite this Entry
“Deactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deactivate. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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
Share