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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Stepping into a room that hot triggers an immediate stress reaction, activating the sympathetic arm of the nervous system, the fight-or-flight response.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
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Many started online by going to the same shock site, and activating their own profile.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
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Aiden Robbins took the most substantial swing of the night in that inning, driving a two-run, back-side home run to right field.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The gruesome discovery would eventually lead authorities to a third woman, in her 80s, killed a few towns over, triggering a manhunt across several states and prompting a two-day closure of schools in Wayne County.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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Skiing safely through avalanche terrain and planning ahead to avoid triggering a slide is part of this courtesy, according to the advocacy group.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kiwis moving abroad is not uncommon, and more Kiwis generally are choosing to leave than before; in the year ending November 2025, almost 122,000 people emigrated, a 4% jump from the previous year and higher than a previous spike in 2012.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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Ultimately, what this study’s findings highlight is that planning for a slow-moving, politically contentious issue like sea-level rise, one that doesn’t have the immediacy of a wildfire or an earthquake, is complex and constantly evolving.—
Marcos Magaña,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Described by police as a gang rape, the case has added fuel to outrage in a nation where reports of violence against women have surged in recent months, sparking nationwide protests and a flurry of digital activism.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Local governments in Taiwan and South Korea reported success in sparking a birthrate revival.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The new project reversed that trajectory, propelling the noughties icon back into the cultural conversation.—
Amy Francombe,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2026
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That stored energy releases in a snap, propelling the robot into the air.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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