actuated

verb

past tense of actuate
1
as in activated
to cause to function a light actuated by a motion detector the alarm system actuates the door locks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moved
to set or keep in motion hearing depends on sound vibrations that actuate the complex mechanism of that sensory organ, the ear

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 actuated But every function is going to be electronically actuated, every display is simulated on a screen … just like every Honda and Hyundai. — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 June 2026 Each is separately spring-loaded, depressing four millimeters at most (though they can be actuated with as little as two millimeters of travel) before bouncing back with a confirming click. — Literary Hub, 19 May 2026 The arms have seven degrees of freedom, which LG says matches a human arm, and the fingers on each hand are individually actuated, so the robot should be fairly dexterous. — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026 The two chambers of the soft, pneumatic finger are actuated manually, using two large syringes filled with air. — IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuated
  1. activated
  2. moved
  3. triggered
  4. drove
  5. sparked
  6. propelled
  7. impelled
Verb
  • The latest study revealed that a certain protein is activated by high cholesterol intake and as a result, makes fewer LDL receptors able to do their job.
    — Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026
  • Once activated, those brakes haul down this Cayenne with monstrous force, boosted via optional ceramic-composite brakes.
    — Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 15 July 2026
Definition of activated
Verb
  • The win moved the Red Sox within a half-game of the third American League wild card spot.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Ogwumike moved into fifth on the Sparks’ all-time assists list with her third helper in the first quarter, passing Mwadi Mabika.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of moved
Verb
  • Last week torrential rains triggered deadly mudslides and flooding in Cox’s Bazar, flattening shelters and killing more than a dozen people, including children.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • The stroke was triggered by high blood pressure and made worse by untreated sleep apnea, causing Miner to stop breathing.
    — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Definition of triggered
Verb
  • Tribal members drove around in a beat-up Buick flinging matches out the window.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • Giant armored bulldozers—now Caterpillar model D9—stabbed their front blades into the ground and drove forward, flipping fields and shaving off orchards.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of drove
Verb
  • Their study, which pointed to widespread same-sex pairing in nature, sparked a cultural debate across the country when it was published in Science magazine in 1977.
    — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • The 29-year-old scored the last-minute winner at the Los Angeles Stadium against South Africa in the round of 32 that sparked wild celebrations.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of sparked
Verb
  • The murders of Cox and Amess were propelled by very different motives from each other.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Some moments were propelled by fantastic performances by the offspring of others.
    — Terrance Hayes, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Definition of propelled
Verb
  • Sometimes the ideological passions that impelled a work into existence dissolve over time, leaving behind something that can be appreciated as art.
    — Vivian Yee, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • That emotional closeness was one of the driving forces that impelled me to bring this project to the screen in an exercise of deep respect for a complex memory that does not lend itself to simplification.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 June 2026
Definition of impelled

Browse Nearby Words

actuate
actuated
actuates
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Actuated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuated. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on actuated

Nglish: Translation of actuated 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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All