as in to trigger
to cause to function
the thermostat is set to activate the heating system only when the temperature drops below 65 degrees
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of activate
To tease this out, researchers are trying to chart which anti-inflammatory pathways the drugs might activate.
—
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 27 Apr. 2026
Dreaming big is par for the course when Mercury activates Jupiter.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
This reusable device is equipped with a rechargeable battery and an easy-to-use top ring that activates the alarm and 120 minutes of continuous strobe light and sound.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026
His game is built on leverage and precision while his athleticism pops when he’s activated in space.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 27 Apr. 2026
Dreaming big is par for the course when Mercury activates Jupiter.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
This reusable device is equipped with a rechargeable battery and an easy-to-use top ring that activates the alarm and 120 minutes of continuous strobe light and sound.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026
His game is built on leverage and precision while his athleticism pops when he’s activated in space.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
-
In the next six years, this will trigger sudden short trips and changes with daily encounters like neighbors relatives and friends.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
War Powers Democrats have been using privileged resolutions in the Senate to trigger war powers votes on Iran and plan to use the procedure to bypass Republican leaders and bring their Cuba measure directly to the floor.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The comedian was subsequently taken off the air, sparking outcry and accusations of government censorship.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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But pilots and aviation experts say such warnings have been increasingly sparking alarm in cockpits as bogus signals from global positioning satellites hit commercial flights.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Daniel Schneemann then drove the next pitch just over the left-centerfield field wall for a two-run homer.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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As Sousa-Martins drove forward, another agent shot at him 13 times, injuring Sousa-Martins as well as Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, a passenger in one of the ICE vehicles who was already in federal custody.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If scaled further, the Osaka team’s work points to a future where some medical and connected devices quietly power themselves using energy already available in the environment.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
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The engines power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II, a multi-role stealth fighter, and the contract modification finalizes production by the company for lots 18 and 19.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hyperliquid generated approximately $962m in fees in 2025 on roughly $3tn in notional trading volume.—
Bob Diamond,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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The company is expected to generate annual run-rate cost savings of approximately $40 million and is anticipated to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He was instructed to respond by moving his eyes from left to right, and sure enough, the researchers counted two rightward movements of his eyes.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Mercury moves through your 1st House of Identity, sharpening your voice and making your words more direct than usual.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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