Dictionary

activate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/

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.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
   • activate the economy
2. (transitive) To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
   • The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it.
3. (transitive) To render more reactive; excite.
4. (transitive) To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
5. (transitive) To render a substance radioactive.
6. (transitive) To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
7. (transitive) To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
8. (transitive) To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
9. (transitive) To organize or create a military unit or station.
   • A new squadron was activated.
10. (transitive) To bring a player back after an injury.
11. (intransitive) To enter an active state.
    • The burglar alarm activates automatically.

Forms

Antonyms

inactivate · deactivate

Deriveds

immunoactivating · coactivate · coactivated · misactivate · thermoactivated · hyperactivated · activate someone's almonds · overactivated · nonactivated · transactivate · activator · activatable · photoactivate · subactivating · diactivated · heteroactivate · hyperactivate · overactivate · misactivated · disactivate · reactivate · activatory · nonactivating · bioactivate · underactivated · hypoactivate · pneumoactivate · superactivate · underactivate · preactivate · activable · phosphoactivate · alloactivated · bioactivating · preactivated · hypoactivated · autoactivate · activater · unactivated · photoactivated

Relateds

activation

Synonyms

spur · stimulate · actuate · turn on · trigger · get going · set in motion · set going · enable · start · set off

Translations (56)

bn সক্রিয় করা (to put into operation) · ky жандыруу (to put into operation) · nl aanzetten (to put into operation) · pl uaktywnić (to put into operation) · pl uaktywniać (to put into operation) · nb aktivere (to put into operation) · cmn 激活 (to put into operation) · sq aktivizoj (to put into operation) · mi whakahohe (to put into operation) · hu működésbe hoz (to put into operation) · fa کاری کردن (to put into operation) · da aktivere (to put into operation) · ro activa (to put into operation) · sh aktivírati (to put into operation) · tr etkinleştirmek (to put into operation) · de freischalten (to put into operation) · mi whakaharuru (to put into operation) · fi aktivoida (to put into operation) · fa کناییدن (to put into operation) · et rakendama (to put into operation) · de aktivieren (to put into operation) · fa انجامیدن (to put into operation) · fa کنشور کردن (to put into operation) · hu aktivál (to put into operation) · fa فعال کردن (to put into operation) · sl vključiti (to put into operation) · nrf activiser (to put into operation) · fr activer (to put into operation) · bg пускам (to put into operation) · ru привести́ в де́йствие (to put into operation) · ru активизи́ровать (to put into operation) · ru включи́ть (to put into operation) · sv aktivera (to put into operation) · el ενεργοποιώ (to put into operation) · ru включа́ть (to put into operation) · es activar (to put into operation) · fi käynnistää (to put into operation) · fr actionner (to put into operation) · gl activar (to put into operation) · mr सक्रिय करावे (to put into operation) · ast activar (to put into operation) · ar فَعَّلَ (to put into operation) · ru активи́ровать (to put into operation) · ru приводи́ть в де́йствие (to put into operation) · pl aktywować (to put into operation) · bg активирам (to put into operation) · id mengaktifkan (to put into operation) · nb aktivisere (to put into operation) · sl aktivirati (to put into operation) · eu aktibatu (to put into operation) · ca activar (to put into operation) · kk активтендіру (to put into operation) · nl activeren (to put into operation) · pt ativar (to put into operation) · nl inschakelen (to put into operation) · eo aktivigi (to put into operation)