actuate

American  

[ak-choo-eyt] / ˈæk tʃuˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

actuated, actuating

1. to incite or move to action; impel; motivate.

   actuated by selfish motives.

2. to put into action; start a process; turn on.

   to actuate a machine.

---

actuate British  

/ ˈæktʃʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. to put into action or mechanical motion

2. to motivate or incite into action

   actuated by unworthy desires

---

Other Word Forms

• actuation noun
• actuator noun
• deactuate verb (used with object)
• self-actuating adjective
• unactuated adjective

Etymology

Origin of actuate

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin āctuāt(us) “reduced to action” (past participle of āctuāre ), equivalent to Latin āctu(s) ( act ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

The MIT researchers wanted a fiber that could actuate silently and change its shape dramatically, while being compatible with common textile manufacturing procedures.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

For starters, you can adjust the point at which its switches actuate and register a keypress.

From The Verge • Jun. 22, 2022

"My task was to design the means of allowing a customer, and only a genuine customer, to actuate the dispenser mechanism," he said.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2016

Screens were mostly resistive, that is, hard to actuate with a tap. 

From Forbes • Apr. 25, 2011

Spirits may often, and generally explore and operate from motives not perceptibly different from such as actuate their human counterparts.

From Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism by Putnam, Allen