activate
verb (used with object)
to make active; cause to function or act.
were activating
-
past progressiveof activate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Orange County officials announced that they were activating their emergency operations center, which is required when two cities in the county proclaim a local emergency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Memories were activating the same regions in the brain in infants as they were in adults, but it could be that these memories cannot be stored in infancy.
From Salon ● May 7, 2025
