deactivate

American  

[dee-ak-tuh-veyt] / diˈæk təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object)

deactivated, deactivating

1. to cause to be inactive; remove the effectiveness of.

2. to demobilize or disband (a military unit).

3. to render (a bomb, shell, or the like) inoperative, especially by disconnecting, removing, or otherwise interfering with the action of the fuze.

4. Chemistry. to render (a chemical, enzyme, catalyst, etc.) inactive.

---

verb (used without object)

deactivated, deactivating

1. Physical Chemistry. to lose radioactivity.

deactivate British  

/ diːˈæktɪˌveɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to make (a bomb, etc) harmless or inoperative

2. (intr) to become less radioactive

3. (tr) to end the active status of (a military unit)

4. chem to return or cause to return from an activated state to a normal or ground state

---

Other Word Forms

• deactivation noun
• deactivator noun

Etymology

Origin of deactivate

First recorded in 1900–05; de- + activate

Example Sentences

It found that 24 tankers were operating under stealth, with their mandatory location signals deactivated.

From BBC

Tech companies said they would comply with the ban, and some began deactivating accounts before the law came into effect.

From The Wall Street Journal

Earlier work from his group showed that when resveratrol and copper are combined, they generate oxygen radicals that deactivate or destroy cfChPs.

From Science Daily

Last month, Meta said users it had identified as under 16 would be able to download and save their posts, videos and messages before their accounts are deactivated.

From BBC

They will need to deactivate existing accounts and prohibit any new accounts, as well as stopping any work arounds.

From BBC

Related Words

• disband
• shut off