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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Your attitude in activating the protocol is an example of courage and dignity.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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For Theory’s fall collection, the designer is activating the old New York nostalgia that solidified the ’90s.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The congresswoman said Rafael had been detained by ICE agents after a routine inspection while driving a commercial cargo truck in Louisiana.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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Tutash Express and Sam Express in the Chicago area were also disqualified, and the Aydana driving school that the trucker involved in the crash attended lost its certification.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 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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Rescuers used earth-moving equipment to retrieve the bodies, according to Ednar Dayanghirang, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
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Mesh ventilation at the front and back allows airflow to circulate, which comes in handy when moving between cold cabins and warmer terminals.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
20 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 27 Feb. 2026.
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