op·er·a·tive
ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv 
ˈä-pə-ˌrā-
ˈä-pə-ˌrā-
1
a
: producing an appropriate effect : efficacious
operative techniques
b
: most significant or essential
the operative word in a phrase
the operative facts
2
: exerting force or influence : operating
an operative statute
3
a
: having to do with physical operations (as of machines)
operative skills
b
: working
an operative craftsman
4
: based on or consisting of an operation
operative dentistry
The disease may require operative treatment.
operatively
adverb
operativeness
noun
: operator: such as
b
: a secret agent
d
: a person who works toward achieving the objectives of a larger interest
political operatives
Synonyms
Examples of operative in a Sentence
Adjective
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.
Noun
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 on the Web
Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024
The party hired veteran operative Lis Smith, widely known for her aggressive work bolstering then-candidate Pete Buttigieg during the 2020 presidential race.
—Will McDuffie, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Something special goes away While compartmentalizing was the operative word for Pac-12 coaches in their final group get-together before the conference splits four ways, a reflective, almost melancholy mood, could not be avoided given what is being lost in women’s basketball.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
Ex-Ohio Republican Party leader Matt Borges did not bribe political operative Tyler Fehrman for insider details about a campaign to block the nuclear bailout because Fehrman's employer was not harmed.
—Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024
That has become the operative deadline for achieving a hostage deal.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024
Disappointment was the operative word for Team USA, which was hoping to reverse the momentum after seeing Team Canada come back from a 3-0 series deficit to set up Sunday’s deciding game.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 11 Feb. 2024
There could be at least one more on the horizon since the Hornets expect to be fully operative and engaged in the market leading into the Feb. 8 deadline.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2024
They're being marketed as dietary supplements, but don't fit the operative legal definition of these supplements.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 28 Dec. 2023
USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The hack roiled Washington and gave Chinese operatives access to the unclassified email accounts of senior US diplomats, including US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, on the eve of a high-profile visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China last June, CNN has reported.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
It was managed by a former top operative for Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
The video showed Hamas operatives breaking into homes, setting fires to force people out, systematically executing innocents and taking a perverse joy in the mass murder of Jews.
—Shelley Zimmerman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
By the 1970s, federal authorities investigating mobsters in Kansas City charged more than a dozen mob operatives with conspiring to skim nearly $2 million in gambling revenue from Las Vegas casinos, including the Tropicana.
—Rio Yamat, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
In the course of the monitoring, which has involved electronic intercepts, human informants and other means, American operatives picked up fairly specific information about plotting in Moscow, officials said.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Bringing on Washington operatives as commentators is a typical practice at major networks; ABC News, for instance, recently hired Reince Priebus, Mr. Trump’s former chief of staff.
—Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The group has dispatched terrorist operatives to Russia, Iran and Turkey while also plotting attacks against Western countries, including the United States, U.S. intelligence reports show.
—Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Moreover, some of the scientists are plagued by strange visions, seeing numbers that appear to be counting down – toward what, being the operative question.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024
The party hired veteran operative Lis Smith, widely known for her aggressive work bolstering then-candidate Pete Buttigieg during the 2020 presidential race.
—Will McDuffie, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024
Something special goes away While compartmentalizing was the operative word for Pac-12 coaches in their final group get-together before the conference splits four ways, a reflective, almost melancholy mood, could not be avoided given what is being lost in women’s basketball.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
Ex-Ohio Republican Party leader Matt Borges did not bribe political operative Tyler Fehrman for insider details about a campaign to block the nuclear bailout because Fehrman's employer was not harmed.
—Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024
That has become the operative deadline for achieving a hostage deal.
—Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024
Disappointment was the operative word for Team USA, which was hoping to reverse the momentum after seeing Team Canada come back from a 3-0 series deficit to set up Sunday’s deciding game.
—Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 11 Feb. 2024
There could be at least one more on the horizon since the Hornets expect to be fully operative and engaged in the market leading into the Feb. 8 deadline.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2024
They're being marketed as dietary supplements, but don't fit the operative legal definition of these supplements.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 28 Dec. 2023
Noun
Precursor chemicals from China and pill presses for powdered fentanyl
In one case in recent years, CIA operatives helped stop a massive shipment of chemicals needed to make the synthetic opioid.
—USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
The hack roiled Washington and gave Chinese operatives access to the unclassified email accounts of senior US diplomats, including US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, on the eve of a high-profile visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China last June, CNN has reported.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
It was managed by a former top operative for Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
The video showed Hamas operatives breaking into homes, setting fires to force people out, systematically executing innocents and taking a perverse joy in the mass murder of Jews.
—Shelley Zimmerman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
By the 1970s, federal authorities investigating mobsters in Kansas City charged more than a dozen mob operatives with conspiring to skim nearly $2 million in gambling revenue from Las Vegas casinos, including the Tropicana.
—Rio Yamat, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
In the course of the monitoring, which has involved electronic intercepts, human informants and other means, American operatives picked up fairly specific information about plotting in Moscow, officials said.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Bringing on Washington operatives as commentators is a typical practice at major networks; ABC News, for instance, recently hired Reince Priebus, Mr. Trump’s former chief of staff.
—Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The group has dispatched terrorist operatives to Russia, Iran and Turkey while also plotting attacks against Western countries, including the United States, U.S. intelligence reports show.
—Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'operative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near operative
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operative. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
operative
1 of 2 adjective
op·er·a·tive
ˈäp-(ə-)rət-iv
ˈäp-ə-ˌrāt-
1
: producing a normal or desired effect
2
: being in operation
operative
2 of 2 noun1
2
a
: a secret agent : spy
Medical Definition
operative
adjective
op·er·a·tive
ˈäp-(ə-)rət-iv
ˈäp-ə-ˌrāt-
ˈäp-ə-ˌrāt-
: of, relating to, involving, or resulting from an operation
operative treatment
operative mortality rates
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