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
Ellipticals also help build strength in the legs by activating the glutes (muscles in the buttocks), quads, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
—
Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025
The devices typically are attached to poles in the sidewalk at street corners and emit a locator tone, with a button to activate them.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.
—Southern California Weather Report, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
Carsley said during his spell as interim coach that White still had his ‘do not disturb’ status activated after Southgate’s departure last summer.
—Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025
The devices typically are attached to poles in the sidewalk at street corners and emit a locator tone, with a button to activate them.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.
—Southern California Weather Report, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
Carsley said during his spell as interim coach that White still had his ‘do not disturb’ status activated after Southgate’s departure last summer.
—Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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As the cycle proceeds toward the inevitable breakup—triggered, perhaps, by Lesbia’s dalliances during the year that Catullus was away working for Memmius—the poems of recrimination and spite, often eye-poppingly obscene, predominate.—
Daniel Mendelsohn,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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The explosion triggered an emergency alert to cellphones across Detroit at around 6 a.m., waking many residents, according to local Fox affiliate WJBK.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Schumer’s move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at his office and called on him to resign his position.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
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Another 1,671 firms reached $2.5 to $4.9 million, up from 506 in 2021. Transportation and warehousing: With the e-commerce explosion sparking demand for last-mile transportation and warehousing, solopreneurs in this space profited.—
Elaine Pofeldt,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, the league’s decision-making on NBA expansion will be driven by a combination of market size, media presence, economic factors, and ownership interest.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Detained in Louisiana After her arrest on Tuesday night, Ozturk was driven to multiple government offices in New England, a spokesperson for Ozturk’s legal team.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Interchange reconnection between the filament and the surrounding open magnetic field lines releases the energy that powers a CME, the resulting ejection being a powerful jet that bursts through the solar corona and into space, dragging plasma with it to form the CME.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, to whom Pineau reported to, said in March that Llama 4 will help power AI agents, the latest craze in generative AI.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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One way to do that is off the rush when teams aren’t as set defensively, but the Canucks are one of the worst teams in the league at transition offence, so this is a tough environment to generate those types of looks at a high volume.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Tariffs and economic policy (9 percent) are now generating as much negative discussion as Trump's stance on Russia (9 percent).—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The baby kept moving her fingers right around the dog's eyes, but Daisy Doo didn't care.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
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Once the pandemic came along, Stegemann moved bit by bit from Hamburg out to Bender’s in the countryside.—
Fiona Bornhöft,
Architectural Digest,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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