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
As the house gets ready for a Vanity Fair shoot, Jose shows Peter and Michaela security footage of Simone deactivating the cameras late at night to get in and out of the house undetected.
—
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Father Bob had traded his iPhone for the Fisherman’s Ring, and his private cell number was probably deactivated by the Vatican within minutes of Habemus Papam.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025
When the engine is turned off, the system deactivates with an eerie sound.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
On top of the spending cuts, DOGE has also deactivated half a million federal credit cards, used by government staff to make purchases on behalf of agencies.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Father Bob had traded his iPhone for the Fisherman’s Ring, and his private cell number was probably deactivated by the Vatican within minutes of Habemus Papam.
—Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025
When the engine is turned off, the system deactivates with an eerie sound.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
On top of the spending cuts, DOGE has also deactivated half a million federal credit cards, used by government staff to make purchases on behalf of agencies.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deactivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivate
Verb
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The California Department of Justice will investigate a fatal shooting by Los Angeles Police Department officers under a law that empowers the state attorney general to probe police shootings of unarmed people — despite the LAPD saying the man killed Tuesday was holding a gun.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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The latter was killed so the former could live on, though many fans wonder why the better of the two was cancelled while the execrable Rings Of Power was given yet another season.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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One alarming story comes via London Centric, which earlier this year reported on an alarming trend of legs broken when Lime bikes fall on riders after problems braking.—
Nicole Kobie,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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The agency opened the probe last May after the vehicles braked suddenly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists, which led to minor injuries.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
6 May 2025
Verb
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But when the power shuts off and water seeps in through these buildings’ glass curtain walls, these high-rises would rot from the inside out.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
5 June 2025
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His advice: shut off the noise and just make things.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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