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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And part of that is when Tru came in the game, both offensively and defensively — his way of sparking us and just having active hands and playing in the passing lanes.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
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Many rigorous studies show that these ads can benefit patients’ health by encouraging them to seek lifesaving treatment for conditions such as depression and heart disease and sparking conversations with their doctors.—
Anna Chorniy,
The Conversation,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Released in November 2023, the track quickly became a cultural phenomenon, propelling the Mexican American singer-songwriter to prominence by early 2024.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
28 Feb. 2026
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Those boosters and the Vulcan's own main booster eventually separated from the upper-stage, known as Centaur V, which used its two engines to continue propelling the payload to about 22,000 miles high.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Actuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuating. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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