What does "activate" mean?
To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
Activate
/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
- Grammar: activate is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: trigger, actuate, enable, set off.
- Useful contrasts: benumbed, dazed, disused.
- Usage evidence: You must activate the software before you can use it again.
How to use "activate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "activate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "activate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "activate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "activate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "activate" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "trigger" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "activate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate. transitive
"activate the economy"
- 2 make active or more active wordnet
- 3 To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable. transitive
"The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it."
- 4 make (substances) radioactive wordnet
- 5 To render more reactive; excite. transitive
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 aerate (sewage) so as to favor the growth of organisms that decompose organic matter wordnet
- 7 To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function. transitive
- 8 make more adsorptive wordnet
- 9 To render a substance radioactive. transitive
- 10 put in motion or move to act wordnet
- 11 To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating. transitive
- 12 To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock. transitive
- 13 To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter. transitive
- 14 To organize or create a military unit or station. transitive
"A new squadron was activated."
- 15 To bring a player back after an injury. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You must activate the software before you can use it again."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "activate"?
Common synonyms include: trigger, actuate, enable, set off, start, accelerate.
How do you use "activate" in a sentence?
You must activate the software before you can use it again.
How do you pronounce "activate"?
Pronounced /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/.
Etymology
From active + -ate.