What does activate mean?
Activate means (transitive) To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate..
Activate
/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/ · verb
Meaning
(transitive) To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate..
Definitions by Sense
- (transitive) To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
- (transitive) To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
- (transitive, chemistry, physics) To render more reactive; excite.
- (transitive, biology) To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
- (transitive, physics) To render a substance radioactive.
- (transitive, chemistry) To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
- (transitive, computing, software) To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
- (transitive) To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
Example Sentences
activate the economy
The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it.
A new squadron was activated.
Synonyms for activate
Antonyms for activate
Related Words
Word Forms
- activates
- activating
- activated
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for activate?
Common synonyms include actuate, enable, get going, set going.
What is the opposite of activate?
Possible antonyms include deactivate, inactivate.
How do you use activate in a sentence?
activate the economy
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.