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
Jenkins also expects several macro and operational factors that affected 2025 performance to improve into mid-2026, including Waha price conditions and additional volumes tied to Permian dry gas expansion.
—
Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
The men, wearing dark civilian clothes and balaclavas, seemed convinced that these unfamiliar fillings posed a threat to their operational security.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
ComEd ratepayers paid for the existing fleet of nukes, which were built in the 1970s and 1980s; the cost overruns were legendary, as were operational difficulties that persisted for decades.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
The system integrates detection, tracking, and interception capabilities into a single operational workflow.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operational
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Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
The men, wearing dark civilian clothes and balaclavas, seemed convinced that these unfamiliar fillings posed a threat to their operational security.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
ComEd ratepayers paid for the existing fleet of nukes, which were built in the 1970s and 1980s; the cost overruns were legendary, as were operational difficulties that persisted for decades.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
The system integrates detection, tracking, and interception capabilities into a single operational workflow.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 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 16 Jan. 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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