as in killing
to cause to stop functioning
deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deactivating
Critically, legislators inadvertently worsened the situation by deactivating accounts, thereby dismantling existing parental controls developed by Apple and Google.
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John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Access to the full code would allow users to make meaningful changes to how their TVs work, including limiting ads or deactivating automatic content recognition.
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ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
According to the complaint, the university did not provide advance notice, a hearing or evidence that the group violated campus policies governing student organizations before deactivating the College Republicans.
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Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Unlike some competing models that allow for toggle functionality—activating IS with one press and deactivating it with another—this model requires continuous pressure on the button to maintain stabilization.
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Matt Morris,
Space.com,
4 Mar. 2026
The motivation is clear after a down year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a championship team that gave him a $17 million contract and almost 500 plate appearances before deactivating him throughout the postseason.
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Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Gilbert also spoke out in support of her husband for the first time on Tuesday after deactivating her social media accounts on Sunday.
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Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Jan. 2026
TikTok is deactivating all accounts held by under-16 users.
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Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
The death toll in Hong Kong's apartment complex fire climbed to 159 on Wednesday, as six people were arrested on suspicion of deactivating some fire alarms during maintenance work at the housing complex, authorities said.
—
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Access to the full code would allow users to make meaningful changes to how their TVs work, including limiting ads or deactivating automatic content recognition.
—
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
According to the complaint, the university did not provide advance notice, a hearing or evidence that the group violated campus policies governing student organizations before deactivating the College Republicans.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Unlike some competing models that allow for toggle functionality—activating IS with one press and deactivating it with another—this model requires continuous pressure on the button to maintain stabilization.
—
Matt Morris,
Space.com,
4 Mar. 2026
The motivation is clear after a down year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a championship team that gave him a $17 million contract and almost 500 plate appearances before deactivating him throughout the postseason.
—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Gilbert also spoke out in support of her husband for the first time on Tuesday after deactivating her social media accounts on Sunday.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Jan. 2026
TikTok is deactivating all accounts held by under-16 users.
—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
The death toll in Hong Kong's apartment complex fire climbed to 159 on Wednesday, as six people were arrested on suspicion of deactivating some fire alarms during maintenance work at the housing complex, authorities said.
—
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivating
Verb
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In January 2024, Mansfield confessed to killing 18-year-old Carol Ann Barrett more than four decades earlier.
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He is accused of killing a man on March 13, 2022, Broward court records show.
Verb
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The system uses a three-level braking architecture that combines retarder braking, electric braking, and mechanical braking to improve safety during operation under demanding mining conditions.
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If modern vehicles are so reliant on software for everything from displaying driving speeds to braking in some models, free OTA software updates could save drivers the hassle of bringing their cars into an authorized dealer for repairs.
Verb
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Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking.
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Many Venezuelan news reports have avoided politically delicate questions related to the earthquake, such as the widespread collapse of buildings, sticking instead to safer stories about heroic rescues.
Cite this Entry
“Deactivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivating. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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