activate

verb

ˈak-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce activate (audio)
Definition of activatenext
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

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 Tory Burch excels at activating her frow-goers, dispatching content creators like Tefi Pessoa and Kennedy Eurich as correspondents, who saturate social media with guest interviews and interactions. — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 In his incident report, Garner wrote that another officer activated a Taser's electrical arc to try to scare the donkey away, but HeeHaw continued approaching. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Our body releases hormones and activates heat shock proteins that protect our cells. — Will Stone, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 It’s been activated for the first time this year in preparation for Isaias, a hurricane that made landfall Friday evening along the Gulf Coast, which has spurred a state of emergency in Georgia. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
  1. trigger
  2. spark
  3. drive
  4. power
  5. generate
  6. move
Verb
  • The Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 in June but owner James Dolan said shortly afterward the team would avoid spending enough to trigger the penalties that come when a team reaches the second apron of the salary cap.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • These primitive instincts are highly attuned to potential danger and are often triggered before our conscious mind registers that something isn’t right.
    — Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of trigger
Verb
  • Hackers raised the temperature of refrigerators and freezers, sparking fires and causing food to spoil.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Internet was also expected to spark a productivity boom and did so, briefly, in the late 1990s.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of spark
Verb
  • These viruses infect diverse deep-sea prokaryotes that drive vital cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and metals.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The benefits of space exploration extend well beyond the Moon, potentially driving advances in energy storage, electric vehicles and other technologies on Earth.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of drive
Verb
  • The buildout of artificial intelligence is driving investment in advanced semiconductors, servers and the sprawling data centers needed to power the technology.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Nuclear fusion attempts to copy the physical reactions that power the sun.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of power
Verb
  • The Wildcats briefly generated momentum when defensive back Kenneth Anderson intercepted a Southwest pass at the Dunbar 31-yard line, but the Raiders quickly regained control.
    — Shiloh Robinson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The machine generated about a dozen or so graphs, marked by human figures and bursts of colors that denoted energy fields, broken down by organ—and even tooth.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of generate
Verb
  • Rural areas account for nearly 40% of sales of fast-moving consumer goods, according to data from consultancy Nielsen Consumer.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Tinubu’s then-employers at Mobil Oil told investigators his treasurer role did not involve moving large sums and that the company never authorized him to hold its funds personally.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of move

Browse Nearby Words

actions
activate
activated
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Cite this Entry

“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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