1
as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
CIA operatives take terrible risks to find out the secrets of foreign countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
set in the 1930s, the novel is about a washed-out operative working for a third-rate detective agency
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in operating
being in effective operation
the last operative bookbinder of its kind in the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in efficient
producing or capable of producing a desired result
unfortunately, the operative amount of the medication and the lethal amount were too close for it to be used safely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of operative
David Catanese, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Video Hezbollah operative killed in Israeli strikes: ID Israel's subsequent operations in Gaza have killed more than 50,300 people and injured more than 114,000, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2025
Andrea Zarczynski, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Above all, efficiency — that is the operative word that will help transform the federal government from a hulking, bloated bureaucracy into a nimble machine, like swapping a 1995 Compaq desktop PC for a 2025 MacBook Pro.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
Allen and Parnes’ book detail the significant early reservations Democrats had about Harris as a national candidate, even as these same operatives, donors and politicians wanted Biden to step aside.
—David Catanese, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Video Hezbollah operative killed in Israeli strikes: ID Israel's subsequent operations in Gaza have killed more than 50,300 people and injured more than 114,000, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing, food, utilities and other basic necessities.
—Andrea Zarczynski, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Above all, efficiency — that is the operative word that will help transform the federal government from a hulking, bloated bureaucracy into a nimble machine, like swapping a 1995 Compaq desktop PC for a 2025 MacBook Pro.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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What to know about the complex, long-simmering civil war Dearlove served as Britain's top spy between 1999 and 2004, when Tony Blair was prime minister.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The astrophysicist, who keeps close tabs on orbital traffic, said that on the day of the interview (April 4), at least three objects had returned from space — two of SpaceX's Starlink broadband satellites and a 43-year-old Russian spy satellite called Kosmos 1340.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Witnesses can also contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Less than a year ago, two Elgin detectives were named to the police department’s new cold case unit.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Under Proposition 309, voters casting mail-in ballots could provide a driver's license or non-operating identification license number, the last four digits of a social security number, or a unique identifying number provided by the secretary of state for voter registration purposes.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
The Arizona Republic,
27 Oct. 2022
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The adjusted net income decreased by 8% y-o-y to $3.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022 due to higher expenses as a % of revenues and lower non-operating income.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Mars, on the other hand, has never had efficient plate tectonics.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Because dogs learn by association, rewarding them with a treat or praise for their good behavior is essential to make training more efficient and also more appealing to them.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Those qualities should top your list of agent must-haves, along with clear communication and high client ratings.—
Berit Thorkelson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2025
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In February, OpenAI launched AI agent tool Deep Research weeks before publishing its system card.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tesla Center footage allegedly showed McIntire lighting a device, which ignites, and throwing it on a Cybertruck. McIntire then returned to the area of the witness’ home on foot and was seen leaving the area in his vehicle around 11:13 p.m., investigators said.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
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Miami Gardens’ investigators on Friday afternoon were still trying to determine who the shooter was and the circumstances of the altercation, the spokesperson said.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Third, operational command of Kamikaze planes is difficult because results cannot be evaluated with any accuracy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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By investing in modern, scalable and secure architectures, businesses can enhance operational efficiency while improving resilience.—
Francis Dinha,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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While these guidelines provide a solid foundation for crafting effective AI prompts, don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Teaching candidates who go through a four-year degree program or a high-quality alternative certification program spend many hours in classrooms watching effective teachers working with students and acting as student teachers themselves.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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