activating 1 of 2

adjective

as in energizing

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

activating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of activate
as in triggering
to cause to function the thermostat is set to activate the heating system only when the temperature drops below 65 degrees

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 activating
Adjective
After such an activating start to the year, you’re invited to rest, reflect, and reconnect with your spiritual side. — Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Mercury conjoins Jupiter in Leo and your 3rd House of Communication, activating texts, calls, emails, errands, siblings, neighbors, and local connections. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026 Gonzalez pushed back on the explanation, warning Calvo that activating the emergency lights could have criminal consequences. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 Equipped with a whistle, the 37-year-old has been leading the drills aimed at activating the players ahead of the intense session or game. — Andy Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 New York City is activating its heat and flash flood emergency plans for Thursday and Friday due to dangerous temperatures and storms in the forecast. — Katie Houlis, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Beyond sleep, tai chi helps lower blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the network of nerves that relaxes the body after stress or danger. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The program rewards families for activating the account, opening a savings account alongside it, and make deposits. — John Ketcham, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026 The Royals considered activating Witt on Friday before their game at the Colorado Rockies. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 In the Character Wheel, the eleven dimensions are integrated, each activating and restraining the others. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activating
  1. energizing
  2. triggering
  3. inducing
  4. sparking
  5. inspiring
  6. driving
  7. galvanizing
  8. motivational
Adjective
  • For example, lavender is said to have a calming effect, while citrus scents will seem more energizing and lively.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Definition of energizing
Verb
  • Prosecutors argued that the building caught on fire, triggering a massive explosion and propelling canisters in the air, one of which fatally struck Salter in the head.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget marked the occasion by noting that the retirement program’s trust fund is projected to be depleted in six years, triggering an automatic benefit reduction of about 22% under current law.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of triggering
Adjective
  • Work in context is both more productive and less burnout-inducing.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • In the fifth and final season of The Boys, creator-showrunner Eric Kripke and his writers’ room had their work cut out for them, with a complex cast of characters’ arcs to wrap up, from the heartbreaking to the adrenaline-inducing and absurdly hilarious.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 June 2026
Definition of inducing
Verb
  • The operation has come under scrutiny, sparking questions as to whether those left on the decoy plane presumed to still be carrying the President were at risk.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Once a quiet Mediterranean fishing village, Saint-Tropez exploded into a global hot spot in the 1950s, sparking a massive, decades-long surge in tourism, the National Geographic reported.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparking
Adjective
  • Rodriguez, who is is 50, said seeing someone more than 30 years his senior exhibiting so much energy on stage was an inspiring sign that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Sharing wins and losses with others unites us, but is motivational and inspiring.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of inspiring
Verb
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The economy is driving young Americans' enlistments, according to Pentagon data.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of driving
Adjective
  • The riot was a galvanizing event and led to the creation of LGBTQ advocacy organizations like Gay Liberation Front and GLAAD.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The January 2023 shooting of the environmental activist, known as Tortuguita, became a galvanizing moment for protests against Atlanta’s police training center.
    — R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of galvanizing
Adjective
  • Sharing wins and losses with others unites us, but is motivational and inspiring.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pushing harder won't work, and neither will motivational messaging.
    — Ayaskant Sarangi, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of motivational

Browse Nearby Words

activates
activating
activator
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Activating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activating. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on activating

Nglish: Translation of activating for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All