as in killing
to cause to stop functioning
deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 deactivating
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
Spears raised concerns in October after publishing a flurry of posts to her Instagram, before deactivating the account.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
Eventually, however, the astronaut Dave Bowman succeeds at deactivating HAL, ignoring the computer’s desperate pleas to stop.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Fowler's report was shortly followed by Jennings deactivating his Instagram page, which led some to believe that the rumors about the fifth-year wideout potentially being on the trading block may have some validity.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Sanders was dealing with a back injury, which led to the Browns deactivating him for the game.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
In February, the author returned to Instagram after deactivating her account amid the controversy.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition, the lawyers asked the high court to review whether proceeding with his execution without first deactivating his implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, would defy the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2025
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
Spears raised concerns in October after publishing a flurry of posts to her Instagram, before deactivating the account.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
Eventually, however, the astronaut Dave Bowman succeeds at deactivating HAL, ignoring the computer’s desperate pleas to stop.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Fowler's report was shortly followed by Jennings deactivating his Instagram page, which led some to believe that the rumors about the fifth-year wideout potentially being on the trading block may have some validity.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Sanders was dealing with a back injury, which led to the Browns deactivating him for the game.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
In February, the author returned to Instagram after deactivating her account amid the controversy.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition, the lawyers asked the high court to review whether proceeding with his execution without first deactivating his implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, would defy the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivating
Verb
-
The charges relate to his killing Scott Wonoski, 43, a fellow inmate at the Massachusetts Treatment Center in Bridgewater, in 2021.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Those on the right, determined to make the case that this was an officer killing in self-defense, should instead be beginning with this utter failure to protect the life of a civilian protester and de-escalate the situation through some means other than shooting a fellow American in the head.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rounding out the mechanical upgrades is a revised braking system, which should come in handy on particularly treacherous routes.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The loss of rear vehicle lighting can reduce the vehicle visibility and fail to alert other drivers on the road if the vehicle is braking, turning or reversing which can increase the risk of a crash.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Toronto switches, sticking Sandro Mamukelashvili on Sexton.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In the process, Tony becomes somewhat of an antihero by sticking it to corporate America.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deactivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivating. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share