/ Dictionary / Index A actuate: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: ac•tu•ate Pronunciation: (ak'ch-āt"), [key] — -at•ed, -at•ing. to incite or move to action; impel; motivate: actuated by selfish motives. to put into action; start a process; turn on: to actuate a machine. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: actuate (Thesaurus) actuary actuator Related Content Daily Word Quiz: clairvoyant Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language