verb · 6 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.
UK:/ˌdiːˈæktɪveɪt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IY2 AE1 K T IH0 V EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
to make something inactive or no longer effective
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ergative
Examples
deactivate an account
deactivate a device
The technician deactivated the alarm system before repairs began.
You should deactivate your old account to protect your privacy.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
to prevent the action of a biochemical agent (such as an enzyme)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
chemically deactivate
The chemical agent was deactivated by exposure to heat.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
to remove a person or piece of hardware from active military service
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
to commit suicide
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Internet, euphemistic, neologism
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
make inactive
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they deactivated the file
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: inactivate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
Narrower terms: paralyze, paralyse
6
verb
Meaning 6
remove from active military status or reassign
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The men were deactivated after five years of service
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: discharge, muster out
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- 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 English deactivate From de- + activate.
Across languages
Translations
36 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
deaktivləşdirmək
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Catalan:
desactivar
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Chinese Mandarin:
使無效 /使无效
(shǐ wúxiào)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Esperanto:
malaktivigi
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Esperanto:
senaktivigi
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Finnish:
deaktivoida
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Finnish:
tehdä toimintakyvyttömäksi
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
French:
désactiver
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
German:
deaktivieren
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Greek:
απενεργοποιώ
(apenergopoió)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Hindi:
निष्क्रिय करना
(niṣkriya karnā)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Hungarian:
hatástalanít
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Hungarian:
inaktivál
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Hungarian:
deaktivál
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Indonesian:
menonaktifkan
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Italian:
disattivare
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Kazakh:
жансыздану
(jansyzdanu)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Malay:
menyahaktifkan
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Māori:
whakakaurapa
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Māori:
taupāhohe
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Polish:
dezaktywować
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Polish:
zdezaktywować
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Portuguese:
desactivar
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Russian:
деактиви́ровать
(deaktivírovatʹ)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Russian:
отключа́ть
(otključátʹ)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Russian:
отключи́ть
(otključítʹ)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Russian:
дезактиви́ровать
(dezaktivírovatʹ)
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Serbo-Croatian:
deaktivirati
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Spanish:
desactivar
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Welsh:
dadweithredoli
— to make something inactive or no longer effective
Catalan:
desactivar
— to prevent the action of a biochemical agent
Finnish:
deaktivoida
— to prevent the action of a biochemical agent
German:
unterbinden
— to prevent the action of a biochemical agent
Russian:
дезактиви́ровать
(dezaktivírovatʹ)
— to prevent the action of a biochemical agent
Serbo-Croatian:
deaktivirati
— to prevent the action of a biochemical agent
Russian:
демобилизова́ть
(demobilizovátʹ)
— to remove a person or piece of hardware from active military service