as in triggers
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 activates
Libra season begins on the 22nd, spotlighting your communication zone, and Mars in Scorpio activates your home sector the very same day.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Aug. 2025
Breathwork also activates the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in mood and anxiety regulation.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach This move activates your back, core, and glute muscles.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 28 Aug. 2025
Neuroscience tells us that writing by hand activates memory, creativity, and emotional processing in ways that typing never can.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
This activates Nora, who infiltrates Lakeview to find and save the love of her life.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Being overtired activates the sympathetic nervous system and cortisol is released.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 26 Aug. 2025
One activates and the other inhibits a fly’s ability to respond to visual stimuli.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2025
This protects your shoulders and activates your chest and triceps better.
—Andy Fata-Chan, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Aug. 2025
Breathwork also activates the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in mood and anxiety regulation.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach This move activates your back, core, and glute muscles.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 28 Aug. 2025
Neuroscience tells us that writing by hand activates memory, creativity, and emotional processing in ways that typing never can.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
This activates Nora, who infiltrates Lakeview to find and save the love of her life.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Being overtired activates the sympathetic nervous system and cortisol is released.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 26 Aug. 2025
One activates and the other inhibits a fly’s ability to respond to visual stimuli.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2025
This protects your shoulders and activates your chest and triceps better.
—Andy Fata-Chan, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activates
Verb
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The lights are programmed to change from yellow to red or green when the freeway traffic is going slower than 60 mph, which triggers the signals to control traffic flow entering the freeway.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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This suggests that swearing triggers a boost, which allows the body to perform better in a short-term physical task.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the first lawsuit, the Justice Department blamed the January 7 Eaton Fire on faulty SCE power infrastructure or sparks from that infrastructure, causing the burning of nearly 8,000 acres in Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
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When a chance meeting sparks a connection, their bond deepens, and secrets and holiday pressures force them to face what truly matters.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Marswalker opens its fold-out front doors, and the S2 drives up into a central compartment before the doors close again to secure the S2 in place.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Attendees acknowledged early how much of what drives housing costs lies outside city and state control, such as interest rates or labor and material supply.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Each of its four reactors generates 1,300 megawatts of power.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
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Relatedly, if a person is in a high-profile legal case, one that generates media coverage, the person is likely to be approached by media outlets with requests to interview and profile them.—
Jennifer Farmer,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Activates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activates. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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