activate

/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/

//ˈæktɪˌveɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"activate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“activate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,159 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,159
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

activate vs active
75% similar
activate vs activity
75% similar
activate vs activator
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for activate
PropertyValue
Headwordactivate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,159
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “activate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). activate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for activate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,159 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for activate, with forms such as "acctivate", "acitvate", and "actiavte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "active", "activity", "activator", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From active + -ate. The correct English form is activate, spelled A-C-T-I-V-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
  2. 2
    To put a device, mechanism (alarm etc.) or system into action or motion; to trigger, to actuate, to set off, to enable.
  3. 3
    To render more reactive; excite.
  4. 4
    To render a molecule reactive, active, or effective in performing its function.
  5. 5
    To render a substance radioactive.
  6. 6
    To hasten a chemical reaction, especially by heating.
  7. 7
    To remove the limitations of demoware by providing a license; to unlock.
  8. 8
    To aerate in order to aid decomposition of organic matter.
  9. 9
    To organize or create a military unit or station.
  10. 10
    To bring a player back after an injury.

Etymology

From active + -ate.

Synonyms

actuateenableget goingset goingset in motionset offspurstartstimulatetriggerturn on

Antonyms

deactivateinactivate

This word in other languages

activar(Español)actionner(Français)aktivieren(Deutsch)ativar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acctivate,acitvate,actiavte,activaet,activatte,activtae,activvate,acttivate,actviate,atcivate,cativate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of activate - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

acctivate1acitvate2actiavte2activaet2activatte1activtae2activvate1acttivate1
Edit distance from "activate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "activate"?
"activate" is spelled A-C-T-I-V-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/.
What does "activate" mean?
As a verb, "activate" means: To encourage development or induce increased activity; to stimulate.
What words are commonly confused with "activate"?
"activate" is commonly confused with "active", "activity", "activator". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "activate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "activate" is /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "activate"?
From active + -ate. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “activate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-C-T-I-V-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæktɪˌveɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “active” - see the side-by-side comparison. activate vs active
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list