activate

American  

[ak-tuh-vayt] / ˈæk təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object)

• activates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• activated,
  past participle,  past
• activating
  present participle

1. to make active; cause to function or act.

   Synonyms:

   start, actuate

   Antonyms:

   check, halt, stop

2. Physics.

   1. to render more reactive; excite.

      to activate a molecule.

   2. to induce radioactivity.

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

4. Chemistry.

   1. to make (carbon, a catalyst, molecules, etc.) more active.

   2. to hasten (reactions) by various means, as heating.

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

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verb (used without object)

• activates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• activated,
  past participle,  past
• activating
  present participle

1. to become active or functional.

activate British  

/ ˈæktɪˌveɪt /

verb

1. to make active or capable of action

2. physics to make radioactive

3. chem

   1. to increase the rate of (a reaction)

   2. to treat (a substance, such as carbon or alumina) so as to increase powers of adsorption

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

5. to purify (sewage) by aeration

6. military to create, mobilize, or organize (a unit)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• activation
  noun
• activator
  noun
• nonactivation
  noun
• overactivate
  verb (used with object)
• superactivate
  verb (used with object)
• unactivated
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• activating
  present
• activated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• activate
  simple
• activates
  simple
• have activated
  perfect
• has activated
  perfect
• am activating
  progressive
• are activating
  progressive
• is activating
  progressive
• have been activating
  perfect progressive
• has been activating
  perfect progressive

Past

• activated
  simple
• had activated
  perfect
• was activating
  progressive
• were activating
  progressive
• had been activating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will activate
  simple
• will have activated
  perfect
• will be activating
  progressive
• will have been activating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of activate

First recorded in 1620–30; active + -ate ¹

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Explanation

To activate something is to start it off, trigger it, or set it in motion. A villain in a late-night movie might say, “Activate the robot chickens!” And then you’re free to activate your remote and change the channel. To activate something is to make it active. It’s not just for bad guys — when you activate a credit or library card, you can start using it. When a coach activates a player on a sports team, the player enters the game. If someone activates a bomb, you should run. If the pancakes you’re cooking burst into flames, you’ll probably activate the smoke alarm. And you should run.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

activate activates activated activating

“Every time you’re asking parents, especially low-income parents, to get through more hoops, they won’t get there. They still need to activate the account and it’s a separate process to claim the $1,000,” Boshara said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

Shely Aronov, chief executive of California startup InnerPlant, explains that when plants are attacked they start to activate genes to protect themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Depending on which receptors they activate, they can trigger signals that either protect nerve cells or contribute to harmful processes, potentially affecting memory, thinking, and emotional responses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

By binding to molecules the fungus uses during infection, these regions help plants recognize the presence of an invading pathogen and activate their defenses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

When the leader won a set of points in this manner, she could “give birth to,” or activate, the next member of her team, who would play their counterpart on the other team.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Some radiators have a snowflake symbol on the valve that activates the frost protection setting, meaning that if the room gets very cold, the radiator warms slightly to stop the pipes from bursting.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Retatrutide activates three receptors, potentially producing a different combination of effects throughout the body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

That is the level of dedication to this project, which becomes obvious once the ensemble activates their full powers.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

Although the model features 501 billion parameters, it only activates 23 billion parameters per query, giving users the advantage of a large, powerful model without the high computing costs.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

“But this one activates a radio jammer so no one can use electronic devices to listen in on you.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

It has never been used, and investors remain uncertain over the conditions under which it could be activated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

"I don't know how long she was on the floor for before she activated the alarm," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Newport Beach has declared a local emergency ahead of the tides and activated its emergency operations center, gearing up for flood prevention and response efforts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

Their investigation identified a calcium channel in macrophages, the immune cells that engulf bacteria, that becomes activated by titanium particles.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

“Kilvin would probably call it an atmospherically activated incendiary action.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

It also will alert them to look for a communication from the Treasury Department with information about activating the account and receiving the $1,000 contribution, if the child is eligible.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

For younger motorists, the first move when getting behind the wheel is to override the in-car infotainment system, including the radio, by activating Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026

The primary and most convenient way to interact with the display, however, is by activating Siri AI with your voice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Urolithin A targets a specific amino acid on the protein, activating a pathway resulting in cardiovascular benefits.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026

He flipped a switch under the table activating microphones hidden in the wall.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

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