overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

activate.

To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.

8 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/
  1. To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.

    transitive
    activate the economy
  2. To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.

    transitive
    The pranksters activated the fire alarm by spraying deodorant next to it.
  3. To render more reactive; excite.

    transitive
  4. To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.

    transitive
  5. To render a substance radioactive.

    transitive
  6. To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.

    transitive
  7. To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.

    transitive
  8. To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.

    transitive
  9. To organize or create a military unit or station.

    transitive
    A new squadron was activated.
  10. To bring a player back after an injury.

    transitive
  11. To enter an active state.

    intransitive
    The burglar alarm activates automatically.
Where this word comes from

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.

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

activate has 8 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

activate studioactivate workshello, activate

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.