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
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
The hate got so bad that Corrin deactivated their Instagram account for a year and has just come back on the platform.
—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
31 May 2026
To deactivate the alarm, simply put the top pin back in.
—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Prosecutors say that Cunningham additionally contacted his wireless carrier to ask that his phone be deactivated, changed his number, and gave his car to his niece, creating a months-long delay for police to find and search the vehicle.
—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
The hate got so bad that Corrin deactivated their Instagram account for a year and has just come back on the platform.
—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
31 May 2026
To deactivate the alarm, simply put the top pin back in.
—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Prosecutors say that Cunningham additionally contacted his wireless carrier to ask that his phone be deactivated, changed his number, and gave his car to his niece, creating a months-long delay for police to find and search the vehicle.
—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivate
Verb
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The mother of a man killed by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike in Manhattan is demanding justice for her son.
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The one-two punch wreaked massive destruction throughout the region, killing at least 235 and wounding more than 4,300.
Verb
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Drivers need to brake firmly and stay in the lane instead of swerving.
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The braking system follows the same philosophy, with a dual-piston floating caliper and disc up front, and a 220-mm rear disc paired with a single-piston caliper.
Verb
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With extreme fire conditions persisting in Utah, Rocky Mountain Power also shut off power lines serving Beaver County and other areas.
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Two weeks ago, Lutnick invoked export control authorities to require Anthropic to shut off access to its two most capable systems, Mythos 5 and Fable 5, citing threats to national security.
Cite this Entry
“Deactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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