English Reference
noun

activation

n.
US /ˌæktəˈveɪʃən/ UK /ˌæktɪvˈeɪʃən/ ac·ti·va·tion UK spelling activations

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of making something start working or becoming active.

    the act of making something active or effective; bringing a system or device into a state of operation.

    Simple

    You will receive an email with a code for the activation of your new account.

    In context

    The sudden activation of the building's emergency alarm system caused immediate confusion among the staff who had not been briefed on the drill.

    deactivationshutdown
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    the process of making a substance or molecule ready to react.

    the process by which a molecule is prepared to undergo a chemical reaction or a biological process is triggered.

    Simple

    The activation of certain enzymes helps your body digest food more quickly.

    In context

    Researchers observed that the activation of the T-cells occurred only after exposure to the specific viral protein.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced AcademicFormal

    the act of showing off a brand through a special event or campaign to get people interested.

    the process of increasing brand awareness and engagement through experiential events or integrated marketing campaigns.

    Simple

    The company planned a massive brand activation at the music festival to reach younger customers.

    In context

    The agency's strategy for the product activation focused on immersive digital experiences rather than traditional television advertisements.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    making a material radioactive by hitting it with tiny particles.

    the process of inducing radioactivity in a stable isotope by bombarding it with neutrons, protons, or other particles.

    Simple

    Neutron activation is a technique used to find out what elements are in a sample.

    In context

    The structural components of the reactor underwent significant activation after years of exposure to high-intensity neutron flux.

Through a series of validation experiments, researchers found that the promoter of Lgr4 was well suited for constructing an EMF-inducible (Ei) gene switch, exhibiting precise activation with no detectable adverse effects during the study.

Phys.org· 17 Aug 2026

After this activation step, all three types of plastic decomposed efficiently.

ScienceDaily· 31 Jul 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated