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
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
Together, a collaborative effort can create meaningful operational changes, including improved staffing, hospital-wide throughput initiatives, earlier discharge planning, expanded post-acute care resources, and greater accountability from leadership.
—
Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
The long days of meetings described by Hoevertsz suggest that planning is advancing from strategic concepts into detailed operational execution.
—Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The aircraft recently completed flight-test campaigns in France and has accumulated more than 100 flight hours as Schiebel continues expanding its operational envelope.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026
The Israeli military said that during operational activity in the Hebron area on Friday, soldiers perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them and one soldier fired single shots at the vehicle.
—Reuters, USA Today, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for operational
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Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
The long days of meetings described by Hoevertsz suggest that planning is advancing from strategic concepts into detailed operational execution.
—Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The aircraft recently completed flight-test campaigns in France and has accumulated more than 100 flight hours as Schiebel continues expanding its operational envelope.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026
The Israeli military said that during operational activity in the Hebron area on Friday, soldiers perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them and one soldier fired single shots at the vehicle.
—Reuters, USA Today, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for operational
Cite this Entry
“Operational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operational. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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