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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of activate
The move also opens up a roster spot for Lian Bichsel to be activated.
—
Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
According to prosecutors, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office SWAT and drone teams were activated, along with the Colorado State Patrol SOAR and aviation teams.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Aerial surveillance aids vehicle recovery The drones are activated selectively, typically during serious incidents where aerial visibility can change the tactical picture.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
On noon on Sunday, Lamont activated the Connecticut’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
According to prosecutors, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office SWAT and drone teams were activated, along with the Colorado State Patrol SOAR and aviation teams.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Aerial surveillance aids vehicle recovery The drones are activated selectively, typically during serious incidents where aerial visibility can change the tactical picture.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Feb. 2026
On noon on Sunday, Lamont activated the Connecticut’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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Thermal runaway is a self-sustaining chain reaction where a little bit of pressure or heat starts producing even more heat, leading to a rapid rise in temperature that can trigger deadly fires or explosions.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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Some financial advisors question whether Trump account gifts meet that criteria, which could trigger gift tax return filing requirements.—
Jessica Dickler,Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Oseguera Cervantes' death has since sparked widespread violence by cartels against the Mexican government.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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By Rachel Metz, Bloomberg Anthropic PBC is expanding the reach of its Claude chatbot into new sectors, weeks after the startup sparked a market meltdown with the release of tools that raised questions about AI’s potential to render entire businesses obsolete.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The introduction of rats, dogs, cats and stoats, as well as hunting by people and destruction of native forest habitats, drove species of the country’s flourishing flightless birds — the kakapo among them — to near or complete extinction.—
Charlotte Graham-McLay,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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Set the scene Any drive through Napa is a treat, and coming north from San Francisco is like driving through the history of New World winemaking.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images A week after Meta committed to using millions of Nvidia’s processors to power its AI expansion, the social media company has inked another mammoth chip deal, this time with Advanced Micro Devices.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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Yet, cost of living remains a top concern for most Americans, and Democrats have seized on the issue to power a series of victories in races over the last year.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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,
25 Feb. 2026
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The island runs its own desalination plant, generates minimal waste by the simple math of feeding its inhabitants largely from what grows on the property, and has preserved native forest, wetland gardens, and a hardwood canopy that most neighboring islands cleared decades ago.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Montage founder, Alan Fuerstman, personally moves into every new property for its first month of operations to ensure the brand’s signature five-star service is up to snuff.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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The players could feel the former United and Wales winger starting to move up the gears.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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