as in to kill
to cause to stop functioning
deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock
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Recent Examples of deactivate
Instead, OpenAI simply deactivated the account, then quickly followed up to tell the shooter how to get back on ChatGPT to continue planning by signing up with another email address, the lawsuits alleged.
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Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026
Dach deactivated his Instagram account after receiving online criticism because his defensive lapse led to the winning goal in overtime in Game 2.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Other pockets of the internet have advocated for less-legal pushback, like Reddit threads that discuss the most effective ways to deactivate the cameras.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
After a debate that reportedly involved about a dozen staffers, OpenAI leaders chose to say nothing, and moved instead to deactivate Van Rootselaar’s account.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026
Dach deactivated his Instagram account after receiving online criticism because his defensive lapse led to the winning goal in overtime in Game 2.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Other pockets of the internet have advocated for less-legal pushback, like Reddit threads that discuss the most effective ways to deactivate the cameras.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
After a debate that reportedly involved about a dozen staffers, OpenAI leaders chose to say nothing, and moved instead to deactivate Van Rootselaar’s account.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivate
Verb
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One of the high-profile cases to emerge from last year’s immigration crackdown was the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas González, a father of two shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic stop last September in Franklin Park.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The 2022 crash killed sheriff’s recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza and seriously injured 10 others.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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This prevents the anti-lock braking system (ABS) module from running a brake pad self-adjustment routine that can contribute to the battery drain.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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And because there can only be an electric motor at the rear axle, not the front—supposedly out of fear that new entrant Audi would have too much of an advantage—cars could regenerate just a fraction of the total energy possible under braking.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Individual reactors can be shut off while others operate, and new reactors can be added later.—
Krisztian Elcsics,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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Finally, homeowners insurance generally covers burst pipes, roof damage and falling limbs when the damage is sudden and unexpected, but claims can be denied if insurers find negligence — like shutting off the heat or skipping pipe insulation, per guidance from the Texas Department of Insurance.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivate. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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