1
as in activates
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 drives
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuates
Verb
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March is always madness, but this month intensifies matters as Mars activates your relationship zone (between March 2 and April 9), bringing complexities, buried desires and unspoken resentments to the surface.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026 -
Neuroscience has long shown that watching another person experience pain activates the same neural regions as experiencing pain ourselves.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Modular software drives robots The platform emphasizes that software can evolve independently of hardware, enabling robots to learn new tasks and improve over time.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Jan. 2026
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Patrick drives his dagger into Huw’s chest just as the cops show.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the brain, the virus leads to an immune response that triggers inflammation, can damage brain cells, and can even shrink brain volume, according to research on imaging studies that was published in March 2022 in the journal Nature.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Turns out the combination of hot liquid, salt and easily digestible carbohydrates triggers multiple comfort responses in our bodies.—
Cheryl Russell,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One slightly wrong rate in a budget, procurement forecast, or loan estimate easily moves millions of dollars in the wrong direction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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The Honda moves forward, turning to the right.—
Devon Lum,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Regular communication to senior leadership sets expectations and builds the case for continued investment; communication across the company generates future initiatives, builds grassroots support and sparks a healthy degree of FOMO.—
Jennifer Belissent,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Everything from adults-only zones on planes to child-free weddings sparks controversy online.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
28 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Actuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuates. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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