1
as in to activate
to cause to function
a light actuated by a motion detector the alarm system actuates the door locks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to move
to set or keep in motion
hearing depends on sound vibrations that actuate the complex mechanism of that sensory organ, the ear
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of actuate
And a story was planted that Nazi Germany actuated the Katyn Massacre in 1940.
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Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2024
The cascading dominoes can also be lightweight, flexible, and actuated by a variety of soft actuators (for example, shape memory alloys, inflatable actuators, bending actuators, etc.), whereas conveyor systems are operated by electric motors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2023
When in alarm mode, the slide must be actuated again to wind the alarm, changing the bell from red to white.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
Other teams favored a physical interface, strapping the operator into hardware (almost like a robotic exoskeleton) that could read their motions and then actuate the limbs of the avatar robot to match, while simultaneously providing force feedback.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for actuate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuate
Verb
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New users can sign up through our links to activate this welcome offer in time for second round action over the weekend.—
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently issued a joint advisory warning that two-factor authentication needed to be activated for all webmail and VPN accounts as a matter of urgency.—
Verb
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Eventually any discourse about his low batting average and moving him in the lineup evaporated as Judge finished with a .322 average, 58 homers and 144 RBIS, barely missing out on matching Mickey Mantle in the Triple Crown department.—
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He was appointed to the position in 2024 after longtime trustee Dan Bobrowski moved from the area and left the board.—
Verb
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But even though lightning is ubiquitous, scientists still don't fully understand what triggers it.—
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These switch-like responses suggest that certain landscape changes may trigger spillover conditions rather than gradually increase them.—
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.—
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With Frank Zappa and the Beatles blasting from the speakers, Kwong would drive his trusty Volvo wagon up U.S. Highway 395.—
Verb
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The viral clip has sparked debate among users on TikTok, with some praising destination weddings, while others were critical.—
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China’s defiant stance has sparked fears that countries will retaliate rather than negotiating with the U.S. Trump unveiled the tariffs Wednesday in a meandering White House Rose Garden news conference.—
Verb
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Someone has to propel the Cardinals out of last year’s cellar.—
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He’s crafted an ever-growing discography and unmissable live show, which has propelled him to the forefront of the dance music space.—
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.—
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Paige Bueckers powers UConn to Final Four UConn superstar Paige Bueckers has continued her March Madness tear and sent the Huskies back to a familiar place — the Final Four.—
Verb
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That didn’t impel the NFL to change the overtime rule, which at the time said a game ends if a team scores a touchdown in the extra period.—
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Without doing so, the city risks adding to the recent record of downgrades from the ratings agencies and impels that any new infrastructure debt minimizes additional costs over the long run.—
Cite this Entry
“Actuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuate. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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