1
as in activating
to cause to function
a light actuated by a motion detector the alarm system actuates the door locks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in driving
to set or keep in motion
hearing depends on sound vibrations that actuate the complex mechanism of that sensory organ, the ear
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of actuating
Dynamic soft robots To create OCTOID’s modular actuating legs, researchers fabricated active (AL) and passive layers (PL) from cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers (CLCEs) using a bottom-up self-assembly of reactive mesogens, crosslinkers, and chain extenders.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuating
Verb
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Antagonists arrive in the form of a private equity firm looking to acquire the company, activating an endgame.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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Melbourne revitalized its center by activating small laneways with cafes, art and nightlife.—
Liam Stanton,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And the 6-9, 250-pound Boozer started to act like his brother Cayden, getting the ball up top in a point forward role on several possessions and then driving downhill.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Mar. 2026
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The judge also had Crosby’s driving license suspended.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Israel launched a widespread strike on Iran's world-largest gas field, South Pars, triggering retaliation from Tehran against key energy sites across the Gulf Arab states.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
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Compounds formed when meat is cooked at high temperatures are believed to play a role by triggering cancer-causing changes in the colon, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Begin the evening with an aperitivo in the sleek Lobby Bar before moving into the restaurant’s warm and womblike interior.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
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The show at the Kimbell is masterfully installed, both impressive and subtle in its narrative flow and visual rhythm and at moments quite moving.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Excessive rain caused torrents of water to wash out homes, damage roads, and threaten to burst a dam, sparking an emergency evacuation of thousands in Oahu on March 20.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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Savannah Guthrie is renewing pleas to neighbors, friends and residents of Tucson, Arizona, to jog their memories in the hopes of sparking new leads in the disappearance of her mother, Nancy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Doncic’s dominance has rescued the Lakers, propelling them to season-best winning streak.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Hannah Montana kickstarted Cyrus’ career in 2006, propelling the then-teenager to global superstardom and serving as a launching pad for her for pop music career.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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