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
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/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
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