actuates

verb

present tense third-person singular of actuate
1
as in activates
to cause to function a light actuated by a motion detector the alarm system actuates the door locks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drives
to set or keep in motion hearing depends on sound vibrations that actuate the complex mechanism of that sensory organ, the ear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for actuates
  1. activates
  2. drives
  3. triggers
  4. moves
  5. sparks
Verb
  • The declaration activates the state's emergency management plan to prepare for hurricanes and other potential natural disasters, allowing actions including the deployment of personnel and equipment to respond.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The geometry of the dome itself regulates ventilation and activates natural air circulation through the stack effect, complemented by floor-level air intake to prevent direct drafts and maintain a consistent microclimate.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of activates
Verb
  • This absence drives Shimoda to unearth historical records like FBI files; to visit Manzanar, the concentration camp his grandfather was sent to in Missouri; and to travel to his grandfather’s ancestral homeland in Japan.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Money drives them apart, but that’s what they’re expected to care about.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of drives
Verb
  • What exactly triggers rapid true polar wander events and how far the poles move during them remains unknown.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Back on Earth, the band remain comatose and their predicament triggers an obscure rule of the underworld known as the Coma Clause, which keeps the Gates of Hell open to them for as long as their bodies remain alive.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of triggers
Verb
  • Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Bits per second is commonly used in BCI research to quantify how quickly and accurately a user can select intended targets, rather than simply measuring how fast a cursor physically moves.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of moves
Verb
  • Bruno and Drake Confront Each Other As the flirtatious energy between Karol and Bruno and Karol and Drake continues to heat up and sparks dating rumors, both men have made their interest clear.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Invaders may have finished off some of the great ancient civilizations, but only after they had been weakened by drought, famine, disease, flooding and internal divisions that catastrophe often sparks.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of sparks
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

actuated
actuates
actuating
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Cite this Entry

“Actuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/actuates. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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