To deactivate something is to switch it off, or to stop it from being used. You deactivate an alarm so it will not ring; you deactivate a card or a phone line so nobody can use it; you deactivate an account so it is no longer live. In news about safety, people deactivate a bomb or a mine — they make it so it cannot go off.

To deactivate something要deactivate某個東西 is to switch it off就是把它關掉, or stop it from being used或讓它不能再被使用。 You deactivate an alarm你deactivate一個警報器 so it will not ring讓它不會響; you deactivate a card or a phone line你deactivate一張卡或一條電話線 so nobody can use it讓沒有人可以用它; you deactivate an account你deactivate一個帳號 so it is no longer live讓它不再是啟用中的狀態。 In news about safety在講安全的新聞裡, people deactivate a bomb or a mine人們會deactivate炸彈或地雷 — they make it so it cannot go off讓它沒辦法引爆。

The word is a little formal, but common around machines, apps, and security.

The word這個詞 is a little formal有點正式, but common但常見 around machines, apps, and security用在機器、app和保全方面。

Though actually, deactivate is not the same as destroy or delete. If you deactivate an account, it is often only switched off, and you might turn it back on. If you delete it, it is gone. For a machine, deactivate is closer to “take out of use” than to “break.” The opposite is activate: switch on, or start using.

Though actually不過其實, deactivate is not the same as destroy or delete deactivate跟destroy（摧毀）或delete（刪除）不一樣。 If you deactivate an account如果你deactivate一個帳號, it is often only switched off通常只是被關掉而已, and you might turn it back on你還是有可能把它重新打開。 If you delete it如果你delete它, it is gone它就沒了。 For a machine對機器來說, deactivate is closer to "take out of use"deactivate比較接近「讓它停止使用」 than to "break."而不是「弄壞」。 The opposite反義詞 is activate:是activate： switch on開啟, or start using或開始使用。