activate

v. to make a machine, alarm, or system start working.

v. to put a device, mechanism, or system into action or motion.

“The smoke from the burnt toast was enough to activate the fire alarm.”

“The security system is designed to activate the silent alarm the moment the infrared sensors detect unauthorized movement in the vault.”

v. to encourage something to develop or to make a process start happening.

v. to induce increased activity or stimulate a specific biological or social process.

“The new government policy aims to activate the local economy by supporting small businesses.”

“The enzyme acts as a catalyst to activate the metabolic pathway responsible for breaking down complex sugars during digestion.”

v. to enter a code or license to make a piece of software fully work.

v. to remove the functional limitations of a software application by providing a valid license key or digital signature.

“You need to connect to the internet to activate your copy of the software.”

“Users are prompted to activate their subscription within thirty days to avoid losing access to the cloud-based features of the suite.”

v. to make a substance more reactive or to make it radioactive.

v. to render a molecule or substance reactive, or to induce radioactivity through particle bombardment.

“Heat is often used to activate the chemicals in the mixture.”

“The sample was placed inside the reactor core to activate the isotopes for the subsequent medical imaging procedure.”

Technical

v. to bring a person or a group into active service or play.

v. to bring a military unit into existence or to return an injured player to an active roster.

“The team decided to activate the star player just before the championship game.”

“The department of defense moved to activate several reserve units in response to the escalating border tensions along the border.”

Formal