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actuating

verb

present participle of actuate
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of actuating Creating such complex structures combining soft and rigid features and actuating them with artificial muscles would further our understanding of natural kinematic structures. — IEEE Spectrum, 6 Mar. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuating
  1. activating
  2. driving
  3. triggering
  4. moving
  5. sparking
  6. propelling
Verb
  • There's also an AI voice assistant for activating in-car features, and a mobile app for remote air conditioning management, charging status monitoring, and automatic parking.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members.
    — MEGAN JANETSKY, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of activating
Verb
  • Suppressing this same pathway produced the opposite result, limiting the ability to switch behavior, driving longer bouts of the repetitive behavior, as per the release.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Prince William has remained silent ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved back to the UK, which is allegedly driving the Duchess of Sussex mad.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • Initial analysis suggests global warming exacerbated the melting of the glacier that snapped off in August, triggering flash floods.
    — Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Eight gunmen then stormed the compound, triggering a 20-hour gunbattle that killed at least 21 people, most of them police officers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • Bank of America, Citigroup and Apollo underwrote the buyout debt package, one of the biggest ever and with many moving pieces, to fund the takeover.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026
  • This is just one season, but Guerrero’s outlook needs to change just as much as his production moving forward on the remaining 13 years of his deal.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • This weekend marked 25 years since two batches of anthrax-laden envelopes were mailed from New Jersey to Capitol Hill, sparking panic across the country.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026
  • However, the night took a turn when Kanye West ambushed Swift’s acceptance speech, creating one of the most infamous moments in the awards show’s history — and subsequently sparking a years-long feud with Swift.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of sparking
Verb
  • Oates turned left in front of Mulderrig toward Kingsgate Drive, and the motorcycle slammed into the Cadillac, propelling Mulderrig into the air and leading to his death, both sides agreed.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Like, what kinds of businesses were propelling people into the top of the income distribution?
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of propelling

Browse Nearby Words

actuates
actuating
actuator
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Cite this Entry

“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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