as in triggers
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
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Recent Examples of activates
Your 2nd House of Resources activates as the life-giving Sun conjoins combative Mars, motivating you to polish your skills, then price your improved work fairly.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Stomach acid activates digestive enzymes, which help break down food.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 8 Jan. 2026
Parkinson activates the screen game with his bruising style.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
When the steering wheel is retracted, the vehicle activates a passenger airbag integrated into the instrument panel.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
Beginning with a spark early in the year, as a solar eclipse in Aquarius activates your romantic and creative side, don’t be surprised if love feels playful again, as this new beginning encourages flirtation, spontaneity and intellectual expression.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Your 11th House of Friendship activates as Venus, planet of beauty, meets Mars, encouraging you to rally allies and rebuild a sense of shared purpose.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
The moody Moon activates your 8th House of Intimacy today, focusing your instincts on the topics that matter.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
By the weekend, the Libra Moon activates your relationship sector, shifting the focus to connection.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activates
Verb
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If a situation escalates, pressing and holding the SOS button triggers a full safety sequence.—
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The big risk as things stand is that an adversary misreads his mixed signals, oversteps, and triggers an escalation nobody wants.—
Verb
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But his pursuit of art sparks a high-stakes battle with law enforcement in this intimate portrait of risk, resilience, and freedom in modern America.—
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Decades later, that nostalgia still sparks a familiar question – what ever happened to the stars who made Petticoat Junction so unforgettable?—
Verb
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The exhilaration of constant research and development is part of what drives this culinary team.—
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Higher demand for MBSs drives bond prices up.—
Verb
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And the value chain is expanding as success generates more success.—
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Inside the manifold’s interior, fluctuations are similarly restricted, which generates a Casimir-like force.—
Cite this Entry
“Activates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activates. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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