activate

[ ak-tuh-veyt ]

/ ˈæk təˌveɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR activate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ac·ti·vat·ed, ac·ti·vat·ing.

to make active; cause to function or act.

Physics.

to render more reactive; excite: to activate a molecule.
to induce radioactivity.

to aerate (sewage) in order to accelerate decomposition of impure organic matter by microorganisms.

Chemistry.

to make (carbon, a catalyst, molecules, etc.) more active.
to hasten (reactions) by various means, as heating.

to place (a military unit or station) on an active status in an assigned capacity.

Nearby words

actionable, actioner, actions speak louder than words, actis, actium, activate, activated alumina, activated carbon, activated charcoal, activated mine, activated resin

Origin of activate

First recorded in 1620–30; active + -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR activate

1 actuate, start, turn on, set going.

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ANTONYMS FOR activate

1 stop, halt, check.

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Related forms

ac·ti·va·tion, nounnon·ac·ti·va·tion, nouno·ver·ac·ti·vate, verb (used with object), o·ver·ac·ti·vat·ed, o·ver·ac·ti·vat·ing.su·per·ac·ti·vate, verb (used with object), su·per·ac·ti·vat·ed, su·per·ac·ti·vat·ing.

un·ac·ti·vat·ed, adjective

Can be confused

activate actuate stimulate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for activated

The fMRI scan measures blood flow in the brain, and can sense when certain areas are activated.
Welcome to Generation Overshare: Lena Dunham, Taylor Swift, and the Politics of Self-Disclosure|Marlow Stern|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As for the claims that activated charcoal will help purify your body from toxins?
Could Eating Charcoal Help You Detox?|DailyBurn|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some natural health practitioners also say activated charcoal can be useful to treat minor digestive issues.
Could Eating Charcoal Help You Detox?|DailyBurn|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The volcanic chain was activated, we were told, expecting to see cataclysmic explosions at any moment.
In Nicaragua Earthquakes and Politics Play Hell With Holy Week|Monica Seoane|April 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Moments later, he activated a landmine, resulting in his death, leaving those color images as his final photographs.
Capa in Color|Justin Jones|January 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Baggage need not be opened, providing its spyproofing was not activated.
Legacy|James H Schmitz
The other end had to be placed in proximity to another atomic power source, and activated.
Keep Your Shape|Robert Sheckley
Commander Benedict kept his eyes on the rear plate as he activated the intercom.
Time Fuze|Gordon Randall Garrett
Power purred along a network of lines, activated beams, turned off and on a series of fixtures in those coffin-beds.
The Defiant Agents|Andre Alice Norton
He spun his chair about, activated the large entertainment screen, and spent some time watching a playlet.
Final Weapon|Everett B. Cole

British Dictionary definitions for activated

activate

/ (ˈæktɪˌveɪt) /

verb (tr)

to make active or capable of action

physics to make radioactive

chem

to increase the rate of (a reaction)
to treat (a substance, such as carbon or alumina) so as to increase powers of adsorption

physiol to prepare by arousal (the body or one of its organs (e.g. the brain)) for action

to purify (sewage) by aeration

US military to create, mobilize, or organize (a unit)

Derived Forms

activation, nounactivator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012