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

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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

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
  • This has included pumping water from the Sea of Galilee, activating groundwater wells and using national water reserves.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Athletic reported on Sunday that Mateta was in dispute with Palace over the final year of his contract, which is set to expire next summer, with Palace activating an option to extend his deal by a further year last December.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of activating
Verb
  • After driving for a touchdown on their opening drive, the Wolverines didn’t score again until Buchanan snagged Underwood’s pass amid a crowd of defenders in the end zone.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Yet too many adults focus on winning and chasing college scholarships, driving up the costs for families and pressure on children to specialize in one sport and succeed.
    — Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • Parton died after a brief battle with cancer, with her death triggering an outpouring of grief, from fellow Hollywood stars to everyday fans who attended makeshift memorials.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But Antonelli is set to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid as Mercedes plans to fit his car with a fresh engine, triggering a penalty.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • But at this point, many SEC administrators would rather find out by getting a win or by losing and then moving forward with that knowledge.
    — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The storm, now moving west-northwest at just 5 mph, is forecast to turn northward to north-northeastward with an increase in forward speed Sunday and Monday, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • Asia’s rapid data center buildout is sparking local pushback, as governments’ urge to capture value in the AI investment boom runs into constituents’ environmental and health concerns.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Three baby goats at a North Carolina petting zoo tested positive for rabies, sparking a statewide search for people who interacted with the animals.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sparking
Verb
  • This sexy thriller got mixed reviews on its release but became a pretty big hit anyway, propelling its stars higher and even launching a franchise.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • While the rocket’s first stage — the booster used for liftoff — returned to Earth, its second, or upper, stage continued propelling the robotic landers on their path to the moon.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 2026.

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