Standard Lemma guide

activate

verb · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AE1 K T AH0 V EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • activate the economy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To render more reactive; excite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To render a substance radioactive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To organize or create a military unit or station.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: government, military, politics, war

Examples

  • A new squadron was activated.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To bring a player back after an injury.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

make active or more active

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • activate an old file

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: inactivate

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: reactivate

12

verb

Meaning 12

make (substances) radioactive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

13

verb

Meaning 13

aerate (sewage) so as to favor the growth of organisms that decompose organic matter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aerate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

14

verb

Meaning 14

make more adsorptive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • activate a metal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

15

verb

Meaning 15

put in motion or move to act

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • trigger a reaction
  • actuate the circuits

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: trip, actuate, trigger, set off, spark off, spark, trigger off, touch off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: initiate, pioneer

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h2éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English activate From active + -ate.

Across languages

Translations

56 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: aktivizoj — to put into operation
  • Arabic: فَعَّلَ (faʕʕala) — to put into operation
  • Asturian: activar — to put into operation
  • Basque: aktibatu — to put into operation
  • Bengali: সক্রিয় করা (śokriẏo kora) — to put into operation
  • Bulgarian: пускам (puskam) — to put into operation
  • Bulgarian: активирам (aktiviram) — to put into operation
  • Catalan: activar — to put into operation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 激活 (jīhuó) — to put into operation
  • Danish: aktivere — to put into operation
  • Dutch: activeren — to put into operation
  • Dutch: aanzetten — to put into operation
  • Dutch: inschakelen — to put into operation
  • Esperanto: aktivigi — to put into operation
  • Estonian: rakendama — to put into operation
  • Finnish: aktivoida — to put into operation
  • Finnish: käynnistää — to put into operation
  • French: actionner — to put into operation
  • French: activer — to put into operation
  • Galician: activar — to put into operation
  • German: aktivieren — to put into operation
  • German: freischalten — to put into operation
  • Greek: ενεργοποιώ (energopoió) — to put into operation
  • Hungarian: aktivál — to put into operation
  • Hungarian: működésbe hoz — to put into operation
  • Indonesian: mengaktifkan — to put into operation
  • Kazakh: активтендіру (aktivtendıru) — to put into operation
  • Kyrgyz: жандыруу (jandıruu) — to put into operation
  • Māori: whakahohe — to put into operation
  • Māori: whakaharuru — to put into operation
  • Marathi: सक्रिय करावे (sakriy karāve) — to put into operation
  • Norman: activiser — to put into operation
  • Norwegian Bokmål: aktivere — to put into operation
  • Norwegian Bokmål: aktivisere — to put into operation
  • Persian: انجامیدن (anjâmidan) — to put into operation
  • Persian: فعال کردن (faâl kardan) — to put into operation
  • Persian: کنشور کردن (konešvar kardan) — to put into operation
  • Persian: کاری کردن (kâri kardan) — to put into operation
  • Persian: کناییدن (konāyidan) — to put into operation
  • Polish: aktywować — to put into operation
  • Polish: uaktywniać — to put into operation
  • Polish: uaktywnić — to put into operation
  • Portuguese: ativar — to put into operation
  • Romanian: activa — to put into operation
  • Russian: активизи́ровать (aktivizírovatʹ) — to put into operation
  • Russian: активи́ровать (aktivírovatʹ) — to put into operation
  • Russian: приводи́ть в де́йствие (privodítʹ v déjstvije) — to put into operation
  • Russian: привести́ в де́йствие (privestí v déjstvije) — to put into operation
  • Russian: включа́ть (vključátʹ) — to put into operation
  • Russian: включи́ть (vključítʹ) — to put into operation
  • Serbo-Croatian: aktivírati — to put into operation
  • Slovene: aktivirati — to put into operation
  • Slovene: vključiti — to put into operation
  • Spanish: activar — to put into operation
  • Swedish: aktivera — to put into operation
  • Turkish: etkinleştirmek — to put into operation
Real reading context

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