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
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
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
Verb
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Rhode The world of Rhode is activating in the desert!—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The brain compensates by activating the forehead muscles to lift the brows.—
Carlos Wolf,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, government data shows that car insurance prices have soared 55% compared with six years ago, or just before the pandemic, driving up the number of Americans going without.—
Alexa St. John,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
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Smith went 2 for 2 with a walk and double at the plate, driving in 2 runs and scoring a run, all out of the 9 hole in the lineup for Southwest Christian (24-4 overall, 6-1 district).—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police testified Konig fled the scene after the hikers intervened, triggering a manhunt before he was spotted with what appeared to be blood on his shirt and taken into custody after a struggle.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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Oil tanker traffic through the strait plunged during the war due to Iranian attacks on vessels, triggering the largest oil supply disruption in history.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The trend of schools moving away from technology comes as evidence emerges that access to screens does not improve student outcomes and could instead be holding them back.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
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In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This group might have unlocked the secret to bridging the diversity gap and sparking a new passion for wine.—
Erica Olsen,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Fitch downgraded Afreximbank last year over worries around the lender’s risk management policies, sparking a debate about the way Western ratings agencies perceive risk in Africa.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When reentry occurs, Orion's service module responsible for propelling and maneuvering the vehicle through space will separate and burn up, exposing the crew module's heat shield that protects the astronauts from the 3,000-degree Fahrenheit conditions the vehicle will endure.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
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Moritz Seider became the fourth defenseman in franchise history to record a 5-point game, propelling him to 60 on the season.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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