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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Recent Examples of activates
Curiosity widens as the sparkling Sun activates your 9th House of Travel and Exploration, inviting you to stretch your beliefs and seek perspective beyond familiar comfort zones.
—
Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2026
The ad, which centers on a fictional family scouring their community for their missing dog, demonstrates how the Search Party feature activates neighboring Ring home cameras to be used in the search.
—Mason Leib, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Dopamine is a relay system that integrates all the sensory inputs that denote reward, and activates the desire to seek more, but it isn’t needed in itself to experience the joyful thrill of bliss.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
When damage occurs, whether as a crack, fracture, or microscopic defect, the material senses the disruption and activates an internal repair response.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Sanders’ go-to exercise activates muscles in your core and hips to help prevent the above inefficiencies.
—Sarah Klein, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
The latter initially presents in Ferrari yellow until its depressed into the central console, at which point the key turns black, the top of the glass shifter turns yellow, and all the instrumentation activates.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees after dark, the city activates enhanced Code Blue, which intensifies outreach and relaxes shelter rules to bring more people indoors.
—Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Saturn in Aries activates your relationship with money, values, and self-worth, beginning a new phase of building stability from a more empowered place.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 8 Feb. 2026
Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2026
The ad, which centers on a fictional family scouring their community for their missing dog, demonstrates how the Search Party feature activates neighboring Ring home cameras to be used in the search.
—Mason Leib, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
Dopamine is a relay system that integrates all the sensory inputs that denote reward, and activates the desire to seek more, but it isn’t needed in itself to experience the joyful thrill of bliss.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
When damage occurs, whether as a crack, fracture, or microscopic defect, the material senses the disruption and activates an internal repair response.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Sanders’ go-to exercise activates muscles in your core and hips to help prevent the above inefficiencies.
—Sarah Klein, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
The latter initially presents in Ferrari yellow until its depressed into the central console, at which point the key turns black, the top of the glass shifter turns yellow, and all the instrumentation activates.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees after dark, the city activates enhanced Code Blue, which intensifies outreach and relaxes shelter rules to bring more people indoors.
—Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Saturn in Aries activates your relationship with money, values, and self-worth, beginning a new phase of building stability from a more empowered place.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activates
Verb
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After your baby is born progesterone (which inhibits breastmilk production) drops and prolactin, which controls milk volume, and oxytocin, which triggers the let-down reflex increases, explains Nadine Rosenblum, the perinatal lactation program coordinator at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
16 Feb. 2026
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The director frames the film as an immersion into the mind of one such figure — shaped by social discontent, inequality and state repression — who triggers revolt to avenge the death of his dog.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The final product not only brings them pride, but also sparks hope for a brighter future.—
Libby Smith,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Rose, a Detroit native and University of Michigan Wolverine, and Gores, a Flint native and Michigan State Spartan, founded the company to create content that sparks cross-cultural conversation and deeper appreciation for others at a critical time globally.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Singleton said that preparation is rooted in a broader understanding of what actually drives trafficking around major sporting events.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The message drives a grieving John to Carolyn’s East Village apartment, where the pair share their first kiss — signaling the official beginning of their romance at the end of that third episode.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The installation generates steam using CO₂-free electricity and recovers low-temperature waste heat from the paper manufacturing process.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The company launched its first product, Marble, late last year, which generates 3D environments from text or image prompts, and says the new capital will accelerate work in those areas.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activates. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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