as in triggered
to cause to function
the thermostat is set to activate the heating system only when the temperature drops below 65 degrees
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Recent Examples of activated
She was accused on Monday of having accidentally activated a website for a future campaign to lead the Labour Party.
—
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
Squirrel-proof bird feeders have openings that squirrels cannot reach into and, in some cases, they're activated by a bird landing on them.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
When activated, the leg shells pick up the heels and propel the feet purposefully forward.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
The system, which is detailed in the following video, is activated with a pull cord, and operates using six Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, which the makers selected for their ability to operate at extremely low temperatures.
—New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
The Baltimore City Health Department has activated a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert through Monday.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Once activated with the magnet, these designs appear to move up and down, mimicking the motion of a laser barcode scanner.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
As Blanchette activated his police lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, the Accord driver allegedly failed to slow down and fled onto Interstate 395 North.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
Hoekstra didn’t specify where the unit will be based and if it will be activated in time for the summer wildfire season.
—Menelaos Hadjicostis, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
Squirrel-proof bird feeders have openings that squirrels cannot reach into and, in some cases, they're activated by a bird landing on them.
—Heather Bien, The Spruce, 10 Feb. 2026
When activated, the leg shells pick up the heels and propel the feet purposefully forward.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
The system, which is detailed in the following video, is activated with a pull cord, and operates using six Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, which the makers selected for their ability to operate at extremely low temperatures.
—New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
The Baltimore City Health Department has activated a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert through Monday.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Once activated with the magnet, these designs appear to move up and down, mimicking the motion of a laser barcode scanner.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
As Blanchette activated his police lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, the Accord driver allegedly failed to slow down and fled onto Interstate 395 North.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
Hoekstra didn’t specify where the unit will be based and if it will be activated in time for the summer wildfire season.
—Menelaos Hadjicostis, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for activated
Verb
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Clearly, the historic performance — one that attempted to illuminate and celebrate the Latin community, people and their past — left her feeling triggered.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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While authorities said 11 of the 12 victims were killed in avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought accusations of genocide that Israel denies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Chopra Jonas sparked twice as much buzz as her titular co-stars based on volume, headlines and quoting intensity.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Employment in health care again drove payroll gains in January, adding 82,000 jobs.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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His latest model, the Nike Ja 3, has drawn significant praise for a more radical design than its two predecessors and drove him to becoming StockX‘s second bestselling signature athlete.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Inside, the Ingenieur Automatic 40 is powered by the in-house Caliber 32111, offering a robust 120-hour power reserve—an engineering feat that mirrors the endurance and performance demanded on the track.—
Carol Besler,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Activated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/activated. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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