Activate vs Functionalize - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between activate and functionalize

is that activate is to put into action, to put to work while functionalize is to provide something with a function.

(activat)

To put into action, to put to work.

To turn on.

* actuate

* deactivate

* English ergative verbs

(en-verb)

To provide something with a function

(organic chemistry) To add a functional group to a compound