actuation

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ac•tu•ate /ˈæktʃuˌeɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -at•ed, -at•ing. 

1. to move to action:
   He was actuated by selfish motives.
2. to put into action:
   to actuate a machine.

ac•tu•a•tion /ˌæktʃuˈeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]
ac•tu•a•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ac•tu•ate  (ak′cho̅o̅ āt′), v.t., -at•ed, -at•ing. 

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.

• Medieval Latin āctuāt(us) reduced to action (past participle of āctuāre), equivalent. to Latin āctu(s) (see act) + -ātus -ate¹
• 1590–1600

ac′tu•a′tion, n.