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Definition of operative
1a : producing an appropriate effect : efficacious operative techniquesb : most significant or essential the operative word in a phrase the operative facts
2 : exerting force or influence : operating an operative statute
3a : having to do with physical operations (as of machines) operative skillsb : working an operative craftsman
4 : based on or consisting of an operation operative dentistry The disease may require operative treatment.
operatively
adverboperativeness
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of operative in a Sentence
The factory must pass inspection before it becomes operative.
The telephone system is now fully operative.
If I go, I will bring a salad. “If,” however, is the operative word, since I am not sure that I can go.
Recent Examples of operative from the Web
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As part of Indy's post-operative rehabilitation while he was being fostered by inmates at the Northeast Reintegration Center, Indy began holistic treatment and therapy at Dancing Paws, including chiropractic massage and water therapy.
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And while some members of the younger generations have opted to pursue film careers, journalistic endeavors, and even low-key lives of relative obscurity (relative being the operative word here), a few are trying their hand at the family business.
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On Sept. 3, 2003, federal agents raided the offices of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) in Burlingame, Calif.
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The co-operative grocery would ideally organize member shoppers to share ownership of the business and make decisions about what items are sold and how the store would run.
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Long wrote in a post-operative report that was documented in a court filing, the story said.
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Nixon set up two back channels to the Soviets while waiting to take over from President Lyndon Johnson, Moss says, including talks between Nixon political adviser Henry Kissinger and KGB operative Boris Sedov.
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Beautiful concrete drinking fountains also adorn the park - some shaped into spirals, others elaborately decorated with shells - but none were operative, and all were covered in thick coats of moss.
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The operative question behind all of them is: What makes a contemporary classical string quartet contemporary?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'operative'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of operative
15th century
operative
Definition of operative
: operator: such asa : artisan, mechanicb : a secret agentc : private investigatord : a person who works toward achieving the objectives of a larger interest political operatives
Examples of operative in a Sentence
CIA operatives take terrible risks to find out the secrets of foreign countries.
set in the 1930s, the novel is about a washed-out operative working for a third-rate detective agency
Recent Examples of operative from the Web
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Just today, the New York Times gave column space to former Clinton operative Mark Penn, who stupidly argued that the Democrats need to be the party of the mythical American center, the exact same strategy that backfired on Clinton last fall.
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The other, called Forward Charlotte, is run by a former Republican operative.
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Any ISIS operatives monitoring the situation at the mosque in London must have been delighted.
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The investigation is examining possible contacts with Russian operatives as well as any suspicious financial activity related to those individuals.
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Both Sandini and Maas are Project Veritas operatives, the lawsuit states.
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Schiff scored his highest-parole conviction as a federal prosecutor—a case involving an FBI agent trading secrets for sex to a Soviet operative named Svetlana—after two previous trials and an appeal had failed to make a conviction stick.
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In the internal situation reports, TigerSwan operatives comment frequently about their routine coordination and intelligence sharing with law enforcement.
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The Lebanese army is hunting ISIS operatives who try to infiltrate their territory.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'operative'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of operative
circa 1810
OPERATIVE Defined for English Language Learners
operative
playDefinition of operative for English Language Learners
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: ready for use : capable of being used
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: most important
operative
Definition of operative for English Language Learners
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: a person who does secret work for a government or political organization
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: a person who does work that involves using tools, operating machinery, etc.
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about operative
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for operative Spanish Central: Translation of operative Nglish: Translation of operative for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of operative for Arabic speakers
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