operation

noun

op·​er·​a·​tion ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce operation (audio)
1
: performance of a practical work or of something involving the practical application of principles or processes
Practice until you can go through the whole operation without hesitation or thinking.
2
a
: an exertion of power or influence
the operation of a drug
b
: the quality or state of being functional or operative
The plant is now in operation.
c
: a method or manner of functioning
a machine of very simple operation
3
: efficacy, potency
archaic except in legal usage
4
: a procedure performed on a living body usually with instruments especially for the repair of damage or defect or the restoration of health
needed an operation to remove his appendix
5
: any of various mathematical or logical processes (such as addition) of deriving one entity from others according to a rule
Multiplication is one mathematical operation.
6
a
: a usually military action, mission, or maneuver including its planning and execution
military operations for a large-scale invasion
b
operations plural : the office on the flight line of an airfield where pilots file clearance for flights and where flying from the field is controlled
c
operations plural : the agency of an organization charged with carrying on the principal planning and operating functions of a headquarters and its subordinate units
7
: a business transaction especially when speculative
continued his operations in cotton futures
8
: a single step performed by a computer in the execution of a program (see program entry 1 sense 6a)
9
: a usually small business or establishment
ran a struggling operation

Examples of operation in a Sentence

The family runs a small farming operation. The company is a billion-dollar operation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Traditional sectors such as construction and real estate stand to benefit from the growing demand for data centers, while advancements in energy generation, storage and cooling technologies will be essential to support their operation. Evan Renov, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 In April 2023, he was promoted to senior vice president of automotive operations, expanding his remit to global production, sales, deliveries and service, and moving to the US. Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025 After an early tutorial sequence where players learn the ropes of controlling the powerful yet agile ape, the story introduces its antagonists: Void Company, an evil corporate mining operation hell-bent on creating a golden banana monopoly. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025 The charges arose from what law enforcement officials described as a nationwide operation that also resulted in the seizure of financial accounts, websites and laptops that were used to carry out the fraud. CBS News, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for operation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English operacion "work, action, procedure performed on a body, functioning," borrowed from Medieval Latin operātiōn-, operātiō, going back to Latin, "application of effort, functioning (of natural forces)," from operārī "to busy oneself, be at work" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at operate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of operation was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Operation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operation. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

operation

noun
op·​er·​a·​tion ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce operation (audio)
1
: the act, process, method, or result of operating
does the whole operation without stopping
the operation of a drug
2
: the quality or state of being able to work or function
put a factory into operation
3
: a procedure performed on a living body usually with medical instruments especially to restore health or repair damage or defect
4
: a mathematical or logical process (as addition or multiplication) for getting one mathematical expression from others according to a rule
5
: the process of putting military or naval forces into action
6
: a single step in a computer program
7
: a usually small business or establishment

Medical Definition

operation

noun
op·​er·​a·​tion ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce operation (audio)
: a procedure performed on a living body usually with instruments for the repair of damage or the restoration of health and especially one that involves incision, excision, or suturing

More from Merriam-Webster on operation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!