operational

adjective

op·​er·​a·​tion·​al ˌä-pə-ˈrā-sh(ə-)nəl 

1

: of or relating to operation or to an operation

the operational gap between planning and production

2

: of, relating to, or based on operations

3

a

: of, engaged in, or connected with execution of military or naval operations in campaign or battle

b

: ready for or in condition to undertake a destined function

operationally adverb

Synonyms

• operating
• operative
• functioning

Examples of operational in a Sentence

The new airport should be fully operational by next year.

The computer network is now operational.

Recent Examples on the Web

What To Know Lithuania’s prime minister Inga Ruginiene announced the closure of Salcininkai and Medininkai, the country's two operational border crossings with Belarus, after the third incident this month involving balloons launched from Belarusian territory. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

The currently operational freighters are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 25 Oct. 2025

Only 14 of Gaza’s 36 public hospitals are open at all—not one is fully operational. —Anna Halford, Time, 25 Oct. 2025

The method is also expected to improve operational lifespan of batteries. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

operation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing operational

• pre-operational

Rhymes for operational

• aspirational
• avocational
• calculational
• combinational
• computational
• conformational
• confrontational
• congregational
• conversational
• correlational
• deformational
• derivational

Kids Definition

operational

adjective

op·​er·​a·​tion·​al ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

1

: of or relating to operation or an operation

2

: ready for operation

Legal Definition

operational

adjective

op·​er·​a·​tion·​al ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shə-nəl 

: ministerial