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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of activate
If the post qualifies, the app walks you through activating Search Party step by step.
—
Staff, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Across the experiments, the sensor network was consistently effective at producing distinct signal patterns and activating protective responses depending on the force applied.
—New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
As Blanchette activated his police lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, the Accord driver allegedly failed to slow down and fled onto Interstate 395 North.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Staff, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Across the experiments, the sensor network was consistently effective at producing distinct signal patterns and activating protective responses depending on the force applied.
—New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
As Blanchette activated his police lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, the Accord driver allegedly failed to slow down and fled onto Interstate 395 North.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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Resort officials said the gondola stopped due to a mechanical alignment issue that triggered a safety sensor — bringing the lift to an automatic stop, Olympic Regional Development Authority and Gore Mountain said in a statement to Fox News Digital.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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In contrast, during icehouse climates, the carbon sequestration into Earth's oceans dominated, lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and triggering cooling.—
Ben Mather,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Continue reading … 'VILE' — Dem Rep's 'total meltdown' in heated hearing with ICE director sparks viral outrage.—
,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought accusations of genocide that Israel denies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Immigration enforcement efforts in Oklahoma also have focused heavily on apprehending commercial truckers driving on interstate highways.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
10 Feb. 2026
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Duren had the ball and was driving toward the basket with just over seven minutes left in the third period when he was fouled by Diabate.—
Steve Reed,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The pack includes a controller, navigation hardware, and solar panels to power the system.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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From the digital creations that power our modern world to the bridges that span these waters, the Bay Area has always been the American cradle of invention.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.—
Unitedrobotsrealestate,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cities, counties, schools and special districts impose taxes on properties and in recent years those levies generated more than $88 billion annually, with over half going to schools.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As a politicized national fight over waste, fraud and abuse led by Republicans have targeted California and its Democratic leadership, Bonta and other state officials have moved swiftly to combat the claims.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Moreover, the bottle had only ever moved between Burgundy and Bordeaux, a driving distance of roughly 300 miles.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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