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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of activate
Simply attach it to a car seat or stroller, so little hands can pull on it to activate the Purple Monkey Song.
—
Pamela Brill, Parents, 22 May 2025
When those drills had activated on the day of the blast, one of their motors had created a spark.
—Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Calculate your target income, package your services, structure your client portfolio, create your professional presence, and activate your network.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Leave a comment View Comments During her residency, Ernst created a new design for the library’s display window, a gold and blush Phoenix gown with feathers that rise and fall, activated by passersby who place their hands up to a panel on the window.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Pamela Brill, Parents, 22 May 2025
When those drills had activated on the day of the blast, one of their motors had created a spark.
—Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Calculate your target income, package your services, structure your client portfolio, create your professional presence, and activate your network.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Leave a comment View Comments During her residency, Ernst created a new design for the library’s display window, a gold and blush Phoenix gown with feathers that rise and fall, activated by passersby who place their hands up to a panel on the window.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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The question is what might be triggering the response in some patients but not others.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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That assertive spark seems triggered partly by a quiet conversation with fellow sub Kevin (Scissor Sisters lead singer Jake Shears), who has his aging dom’s name, Steve, tattooed on his ass.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Her disappearance sparked a weeks-long search that concluded on Thanksgiving Day that year, when a passing motorist spotted Papini alongside the highway — partially bound, injured and with a brand on her shoulder.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
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This film sparked criticism even before being seen due to the fact that the women who appear in it are veiled.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Verb
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About 150 students and 50 adults were evacuated from an elementary school in Maryland after hours of heavy rains driven by an atmospheric river caused major flooding in multiple eastern states.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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Kane was synonymous with Tottenham and had spent nine years driving the team forward with mountains of goals and assists.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Verb
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The United Arab Emirates is planning to power all public and private services in the city of Abu Dhabi through a single artificial intelligence platform by 2027 with a $2.5 billion investment, according to the Khaleej Times.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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The Oilers powered past the Kings in part on the strength of their depth, mostly using a full bench throughout their 11 playoff games.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The opportunity generated a groundswell of interest in our fledgling technology, from companies wanting to purchase it to consumers wanting to get lost in it, launching us to success.—
Jon Kirchner,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
14 May 2025
Verb
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If the execution moves forward this time, Smith will be the first inmate executed in Tennessee since 2020 and the 19th in the U.S. this year.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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By all accounts, seeing the interior of the home is a moving experience.—
Maurice Carlos Ruffin,
Time,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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