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.
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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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Check each of several sprinkler system zones individually, allowing the system to slowly fill with water before activating the zones.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
27 Feb. 2026
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Add a bubbling undercurrent of fresh talent, an influx of new labels activating across the week, and the halo effect of the Winter Olympics, which concluded on February 22, and there’s a lot to consider at MFW FW26, running from February 24 to March 1.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take extra caution when on the road or avoid driving if possible.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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Police said it is now believed Daniels was driving the vehicle as Minor opened fire.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As a result, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, triggering the release of stress hormones that prompt a person to gasp for air.—
Valerie Cacho,
Verywell Health,
26 Feb. 2026
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If pets share the bed, allergy-triggering dander adds another layer of buildup, making more frequent washing especially important.—
Kate Donovan,
Martha Stewart,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Manchester City’s and Liverpool’s success over the past decade has been based on the acquisition of players moving towards or into their peak years and Arsenal have had a similar approach.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Anthropic had loosened its core safety policy to better adapt to a fast-moving market in which competitors may not abide by the same safety standards.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fire risk is declining somewhat after wildfires in Oklahoma spread quickly across the state this week, causing thousands of acres of damage and sparking short evacuations.—
Cheyenne Derksen,
Oklahoman,
21 Feb. 2026
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The Clippers trailed 72-65 at the break and found themselves down by 16 in the third quarter, but Mathurin scored nine points in the third, sparking a 17-1 run as the visitors erased their deficit and kept the game close the rest of the way.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Talarico's Viral Interview Spurs Fundraising Surge Talarico's appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ignited a wave of online interest, triggering a spike in Google searches and propelling him into the national political conversation.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
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In January, a measure of consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since 2014, yet consumers have kept spending, propelling growth.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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