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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of actuate
Further, some mechanical switches require little force and/or travel to actuate, which can also help with speed and the amount of energy exerted while typing.
—
Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 27 Mar. 2024
And a story was planted that Nazi Germany actuated the Katyn Massacre in 1940.
—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
See All Example Sentences for actuate
Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 27 Mar. 2024
And a story was planted that Nazi Germany actuated the Katyn Massacre in 1940.
—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
See All Example Sentences for actuate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuate
Verb
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Leo activates your solar 10th house, urging bold moves, leadership, and visibility.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
24 July 2025
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This induces a meditative, parasympathetic state—activating your body’s natural healing processes and reducing cortisol (stress hormone) levels.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The New England Patriots will move into training camp with an active roster of 91.—
Oliver Thomas,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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The two-bagger saw Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. move toward the outfield for a cutoff throw from Aaron Judge.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Even properties that typically have strict policies often make exceptions in the face of an impending emergency; still, read the fine print, because a looming storm might not be enough to trigger full refunds unless official travel warnings or evacuation orders are in place.—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
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This can trigger trading loses, or systemic market risks to insolvency and liquidity, according to S&P Global Ratings.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
15 July 2025
Verb
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That in turn drove low wages for workers, high staff turnover and limited capacity for children.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
26 July 2025
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The company eventually evolved to using trucks — Jim Janssen recalled driving the milk trucks at just 11.—
Emma George-Griffin,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The incident sparked many online and offline conversations and memes.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
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This radical lifestyle shift sparked a DIY renaissance.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Given their soaring popularity over the past three years, matching their Euro 2022 success on Sunday would propel them to another stratosphere.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
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Not surprisingly, Congress is pushing back against the Trump administration's proposal to cancel the Space Launch System, the behemoth rocket NASA has developed to propel astronauts back to the Moon.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Every few years, the video game industry invents what many people expect to become the future of play—VR headsets, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and currently, non-player characters (NPCs) powered by large language models (LLMs).—
Ben Kim,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Warehouse demand has struggled to fill excess space built up since those lows, which were powered by a red-hot market characterized by record e-commerce growth that had everyone in retail looking for more storage space.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Takashi Shimura beautifully portrays Kanji Watanabe, an aging bureaucrat with stomach cancer who is impelled to find meaning in his final days.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
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Four years later, a toxic waste spill led the mine to close altogether, and intense Chinese competition impelled the decision not to reopen.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Actuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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