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
  • It can be customized via the Settings app for a cornucopia of use cases, including activating Silent Mode, Focus, Flashlight, Magnifier, Translate, and even third-party apps like the music ID tool Shazam.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Gamma is also a frequency that is ideally suited for activating inhibitory neurons, which scientists believe are dysfunctional in Alzheimer’s and play a major role in balancing the amount of activity in neural circuits.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of activating
Verb
  • The tokens burned spitting out anti-Waymo opinions are part of a monthslong battle between Waymo and its rivals over whether the autonomous driving company can operate commercially on the streets of several major cities.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • There was even a Panthers defensive stand in which the Broncos only burned 59 seconds and the Panthers had the ball, driving, with two minutes left in the game — only five points down.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • In April 2025, former Commissioner Chris Measmer resigned to join the North Carolina Senate, triggering a contentious appointment process that resulted in a lawsuit and a judge blocking the board’s initial choice.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Late Sunday, 15 waterways across northern Arizona and southwestern Colorado either reached or were forecast to reach major flood stage, triggering evacuations and washing out roads.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • This reduces computational requirements, allowing the system to operate on a moving robot with limited processing resources.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Over the last few decades, the percentage of children diagnosed with myopia has moved steadily upward, while age at diagnosis appears to be moving down.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of moving
Verb
  • Growing concern over microplastics and sustainability is sparking a wave of plastic-free coffee pods and machines.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The pirate crew is said to have tortured, killed and raped those aboard the royal ship, sparking global outrage and what is considered the first worldwide manhunt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of sparking
Verb
  • The Democrats’ stance on tariffs and candidates’ stated intentions to repeal them—especially those deployed against the country’s closest ally—were a major factor propelling them to victory this election cycle.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Harvey Gantt, Charlotte’s first Black mayor, credited fundraisers at the Excelsior with propelling his political career.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of propelling

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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 12 Nov. 2026.

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