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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Recent Examples of activate
If a storm does meet the criteria for an ERP to be activated, the company will then call up out-of-state contractors and linesman, which can be more expensive.
—
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
Hudson activates her considerable leading lady charm as Isla.
—EW.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The church, too, was demolished, the priest tasked with activating the detonator.
—Sebastián López Brach, The Dial, 25 Feb. 2025
The referral agent is also voice activated and calls patients to connect them with the right specialists.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2025
Hudson activates her considerable leading lady charm as Isla.
—EW.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The church, too, was demolished, the priest tasked with activating the detonator.
—Sebastián López Brach, The Dial, 25 Feb. 2025
The referral agent is also voice activated and calls patients to connect them with the right specialists.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for activate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activate
Verb
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According to a 1958 law, companies looking to introduce a new food additive into the food supply are supposed to file a petition with the FDA, triggering a lengthy process of scientific investigation and public comment.—
Juhohn Lee,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2025
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Freed were three Israeli men seized from the Nova music festival and another taken while visiting family in southern Israel during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the 16-month war in Gaza.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
arkansasonline.com,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Moore’s exit will spark widespread speculation over who will replace her at the BBC.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
27 Feb. 2025
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Still, the string of crashes has sparked fear and unease among air travelers.—
Melissa Chan,
NBC News,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The severity of this year’s flu season is driven by a combination of factors, experts suggested.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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The state Department of Public Utilities has yet to respond to Maura Healey’s letter calling for the agency to take immediate action to alleviate surging energy prices that critics say are driven by the governor’s hostility towards natural gas.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The company’s Product Content Optimization platform systematically enriches entire product catalogs with consumer-centric language and attributes, creating a structured data layer that powers both frontend discovery and backend operations.—
Kiri Masters,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
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The Beast, like the Diablo before it, is powered by a 5.7-liter V-12 mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Any new mandate requiring that many people to comply within 30 days surely would have generated widespread coverage by legitimate media outlets, and the terms of the testing program would have been made public through official government channels.—
Joedy McCreary,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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The bank said in its statement that the reorganization will generate about $300 million in cost reductions in 2025.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The start of a new year is a time for planning, embracing change and moving forward.—
Kristjan Vilosius,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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On one of those days, Sue began asking Ken to move her to a care home.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Activate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activate. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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