activates

verb

present tense third-person singular of activate
as in triggers
to cause to function the thermostat is set to activate the heating system only when the temperature drops below 65 degrees

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of activates The study identified phytic acid as one trigger that activates it. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026 When the predator is close at hand, our body activates a set of automatic responses. — Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 Each post activates your sense memory, taking you back to the inside of a mall in, say, September 1998. — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 22 June 2026 Scent activates pathways that trigger emotional and memory responses. — Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Rucking activates the upper trapezius, shoulders, upper back, abdominals, obliques and lower back, according to trainers and coaches who specialize in the method. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 Value meets vision as the willful Sun activates your 2nd House of Finances in a quincunx to intense Pluto in your 9th House of Exploration. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026 Mars activates your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, motivating you to tackle sensitive matters with courage and protect what truly matters. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026 Beliefs bump against reality as the emotional Moon activates your 9th House of Learning, quincunx combative Mars in your 4th House of Home. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activates
  1. triggers
  2. sparks
  3. drives
  4. generates
Verb
  • Mamdani triggers emergency plan for heat On Monday, June 29, the mayor's office announced the activation of a Heat Emergency plan, preparing cooling centers across the city, alongside other options for New Yorkers stuck outside.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • Destruction of mammalian tissues typically triggers a complex mix of responses from the immune and repair systems.
    — Mike McRae June 28, New Atlas, 28 June 2026
Definition of triggers
Verb
  • And a red card against an American soccer star sparks debate.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • This trend, however, sparks concerns about a looming leadership crisis.
    — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of sparks
Verb
  • By stripping out parts and, crucially, reducing the number of unique parts, the company shortens manufacturing time, raises reliability, and drives down cost, all at once.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Fire shelters are mandatory equipment for crews who work across rugged terrain where things can change at a moment’s notice, especially when extremely dry and windy weather drives the flames, as happened last Saturday.
    — Jack Dura, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of drives
Verb
  • This generates sensory messages that are transmitted to the snake’s brain.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026
  • The system performs well in tests and already generates about 10% of all appointments issued.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of generates

Browse Nearby Words

activated
activates
activating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Activates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activates. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on activates

Nglish: Translation of activates for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All