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
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Recent Examples of activate
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.
—
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2026
Residents are encouraged to lock their vehicles, remove valuables from plain view, activate exterior lighting and security cameras when available, and report suspicious activity immediately.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 24 May 2026
The Moon in Virgo activates your 11th House of Friends, while Mercury in Gemini presses on your 8th House of Shared Resources.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
The strength of the effect can be adjusted to suit the user's needs too, and it can also be set to activate only for specific apps or when a password is entered.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2026
Residents are encouraged to lock their vehicles, remove valuables from plain view, activate exterior lighting and security cameras when available, and report suspicious activity immediately.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 24 May 2026
The Moon in Virgo activates your 11th House of Friends, while Mercury in Gemini presses on your 8th House of Shared Resources.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
The strength of the effect can be adjusted to suit the user's needs too, and it can also be set to activate only for specific apps or when a password is entered.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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The incident triggered an emergency response, seeing the Shenzhou 20 crew return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft for safety reasons, and the uncrewed Shenzhou 22 launched to serve as a lifeboat and ride home for the Shenzhou 21 crew.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
24 May 2026
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The triggering issue was the new stadium for the Chicago Bears.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Verb
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The killing sparked global unrest and the largest civil rights protest since the 1960s.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
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The big-box retailer known for affordable style has returned to its roots, sparking a turnaround after a multiyear slump.—
Joel Mathis,
TheWeek,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The company says its selection approach is driven by performance data, with every title required to show active audience traction rather than simply occupying catalog space.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 May 2026
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The listing agent for Schottenheimer’s soon-to-be former home said proximity to work ultimately drove the NFL coach’s decision to move.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Such semiconductors are used to power the most sophisticated AI technologies.—
Bloomberg,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
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And, most importantly, they’re outfitted with motors that can power them to speeds exceeding 30 mph.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
Verb
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Sourcing & Methodology This article was generated by software that analyzes National Weather Service warnings and advisories and creates an article based on templates created by humans.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
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This setup allows small and medium-sized e-commerce operators, along with direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, to generate marketing materials and publish them straight to Google Ads.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The campaign now moves forward with voters weighing sharply different visions for California’s future as the primary draws closer.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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The Raiders had their worst season since moving to Las Vegas last year.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
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