ACTIVATES Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

activates

verb

present tense third-person singular of activate

as in triggers

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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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 activates Work by Joseph Kable at the University of Pennsylvania identified a pathway known as the default mode network (DMN) that activates when people are asked to do nothing. —

Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 16 June 2026 Creative courage blends with self-trust as loving Venus activates your 5th House of Creativity and trines imaginative Neptune in your 1st House of Identity. —

Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026 Against a palette of frequently stringent, turbid sounds, each live strike of his keyboard activates a rush of feeling and potential. —

H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026 Embr Wave is a personal thermostat for your wrist that activates your thermal senses at the touch of a button through the use of precise cooling and warming sensations. —

ABC News, 16 June 2026 That drug activates the GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, producing dramatic weight loss. —

Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 13 June 2026 Turning the crown on the left activates a face shield—in green, blue, or purple to match the three iterations—that partially covers the visible features. —

Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 The moon in Taurus activates your sixth house of work, wellness and daily responsibilities, making today ideal for getting practical about your time and energy. —

Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 With swift footwork, Bottura activates his celebrity to focus the world’s attention on the tragedy in Modena. —

Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for activates

Verb

Left unmanaged, coal waste routinely triggers water contamination, airborne dust pollution, and spontaneous fires.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
That triggers the development of antibodies — immune system proteins that fight off foreign invaders — that quickly learn to identify and attack alpha-gal sugar molecules.

— Matthew Perrone, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026