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

• active
• alive
• functional
• functioning
• going
• live
• living
• on
• operating
• operative
• running
• working

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

But preliminary reports said the base remains operational, and there are no reports of significant damage to the intelligence center. —Peter Kenyon, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024

Assuming current trends continue, Deloitte forecasts the university's reserves will be fully depleted by the end of next school year and the campus will need UW System's support to remain operational. —Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024

This cryptic set of documents, parsed down from a much larger operational plan for nuclear war, provides the commander in chief with nuclear launch options should policy dictate the president needs to act. —Annie Jacobsen, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024

With an ensemble of analytical precision, this unit empowers industries to uncover valuable data, enabling informed decisions and enhanced operational efficiency. —Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024

In an email Thursday night, Smith said the Reflector’s Threads and Instagram accounts had not escaped this ban, leaving its X and TikTok accounts as its only operational social-media outposts. —Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 5 Apr. 2024

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden also will receive an operational update from U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers officials. —Lea Skene, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

In most of the capital, banks are closed, so people cannot get money; hospitals are not operational, so people cannot receive treatment; and police officers are not patrolling the streets, so there is no one to call for help. —Pierre Esperance, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024

Weather resistant 5-way binding post speaker terminals keeps them operational even in tough conditions, and the sound quality is great for the price. —K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

operation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing operational

• pre-operational

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