SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
actuate
verb
To cause someone to act or something to operate.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Move someone to act
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIncite often concerns provocative action; motivate is more neutral.
Start a mechanism
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topActivate starts operation; operate may describe continued control rather than the initial trigger.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See actuate in use
A sense of fairness can actuate a person's decision to speak up.
A visitor could actuate the model gate by pressing a button that set its little opening mechanism in motion.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license