as in to trigger
to cause to function
the thermostat is set to activate the heating system only when the temperature drops below 65 degrees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of activate
According to neuroscientists, this type of sound can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting slower heart rate, lower stress hormone levels and deeper relaxation.
—
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
This type of sound can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting slower heart rate, lower stress hormone levels and deeper relaxation.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
The Central Region Emergency Response Team was then activated and responded to the home.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
This type of sound can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting slower heart rate, lower stress hormone levels and deeper relaxation.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
The Central Region Emergency Response Team was then activated and responded to the home.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
-
The incident triggered a grand jury investigation.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
These seemingly innocuous actions can kindle dry grass, potentially triggering a wildfire.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The story quickly sparked fury among Threads users, with many siding with the original poster and criticizing the seat swap request.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The decision to inaugurate the first urban Six Senses property in Rome was partially driven by the owner’s love of all things Italian and is part of a new drive to bring sanctuaries to bigger cities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While none of the commodities are traded as widely as oil, the surge indicates how ripple effects from the Middle East conflict could end up restricting production of the semiconductors that power artificial intelligence advances.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Cylinders of fluid gas, which power everything from taxicabs to cooking appliances, vanished from many distributors.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The errant or confabulated information that AI tools can generate is often referred to as hallucinations.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has suggested for months that the federal government could nationalize the voting process, generating bipartisan pushback.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Records show frequent transfers—sometimes in rapid succession—moving funds from TourProdEnter to the Florida LLCs, and in some instances continuing even after a company had been formally dissolved.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But their discharge petition, introduced last week, is short of the 218 signatures needed to move forward.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
