as in kills
to cause to stop functioning
deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock
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Recent Examples of deactivates
The heat from the water also deactivates enzymes that break down pigments.
—
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivates
kills
Verb
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Williams' new movie Regretting You is based on author Colleen Hoover's 2019 novel; Williams and Mckenna Grace costar as mother-daughter duo Morgan and Clara, whose relationship is tested after a car accident kills both Clara's father (Scott Eastwood) and Morgan's sister Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald).—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Tim Robbins’s turn as a smarmy film executive who kills a screenwriter skewers the movie industry with a wink and a nod.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deactivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivates. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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