deactivating

verb

present participle of deactivate
as in killing
to cause to stop functioning deactivate the machine carefully, or you'll risk an electric shock

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deactivating City governments have joined in by deactivating the cameras or canceling contracts with Flock in Fort Collins, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; Madison, Wisconsin; Knoxville, Tennessee; Syracuse, New York; and Walla Walla, Washington. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 Critically, legislators inadvertently worsened the situation by deactivating accounts, thereby dismantling existing parental controls developed by Apple and Google. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Access to the full code would allow users to make meaningful changes to how their TVs work, including limiting ads or deactivating automatic content recognition. — ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026 According to the complaint, the university did not provide advance notice, a hearing or evidence that the group violated campus policies governing student organizations before deactivating the College Republicans. — Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 Unlike some competing models that allow for toggle functionality—activating IS with one press and deactivating it with another—this model requires continuous pressure on the button to maintain stabilization. — Matt Morris, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026 The motivation is clear after a down year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a championship team that gave him a $17 million contract and almost 500 plate appearances before deactivating him throughout the postseason. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026 Gilbert also spoke out in support of her husband for the first time on Tuesday after deactivating her social media accounts on Sunday. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026 TikTok is deactivating all accounts held by under-16 users. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deactivating
  1. killing
  2. braking
  3. sticking
Verb
  • The case has become a national cultural fixation and a social media spectacle, gripping and dividing spectators well beyond the Massachusetts courtroom where the 36-year-old mother is charged with killing her three young children.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • On the last day of February, the US and Israel launched a war on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and attacking targets across the country.
    — Mick Krever, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Be sure to stay alert, and give yourself plenty of braking distance.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • As the veteran approached a braking zone, the rear of his car stepped out and hit the wall, which ultimately left him stranded in the run-off area just ten minutes into the session.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of braking
Verb
  • The Dodgers have no business sticking Ohtani back on the mound.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • On the podcast, Sheridan acknowledged the Jimmy connection, while sticking in the nail in the coffin on the series.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sticking

Browse Nearby Words

deactivates
deactivating
dead
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Cite this Entry

“Deactivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deactivating. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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