operates

verb

present tense third-person singular of operate
1
as in uses
to control the mechanical operation of do not operate heavy machinery, including cars, after taking this medication

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in manages
to look after and make decisions about it takes years to learn how to operate that kind of business so that it makes money

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in works
to produce a desired effect the medicine will take an hour or so to operate the first time you use it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in applies
to put into action or service wouldn't dream of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of operates Hamas is the terrorist group that has pledged to eliminate Israel, which operates in Gaza, the area adjacent to Israel. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026 Retail operates as an interconnected system where merchandising, supply chain, warehouse operations, stores, e-commerce and customer service constantly influence one another. — Shariq Rehman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Michibiki 7 will be part of Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), a homegrown navigation system that operates high above Earth in geosynchronous orbit. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Huggard’s restaurant group, Shucking Good Hospitality, already operates Blue Island Oyster Bar, Ash & Agave and Oliver’s Italian. — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 10 Aug. 2026 Much of cross-border e-commerce operates under a Delivered Duty Unpaid (DDU) model, where the consumer—not the merchant—is the importer of record. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 3 Aug. 2026 Head Start, which operates in all 50 states, has long enjoyed robust bipartisan support. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 WestJet operates a fleet of 200 aircraft, most of them Boeing 737 single-aisle jets. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026 The merits of this argument can be debated—and will be debated by one of the task forces that Warsh has appointed to review how the Fed operates. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operates
  1. uses
  2. manages
  3. works
  4. applies
  5. handles
  6. supervises
  7. performs
  8. utilizes
Verb
  • The Athletic’s player roles analysis uses nearly 40 metrics to analyse players across Europe’s top five leagues, identifying patterns that can help to bucket those who perform similarly in their style.
    — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The research, published in Chem Circularity, explores a system based on calcium looping, a process that uses the same basic material—limestone—that is already central to cement manufacturing.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of uses
Verb
  • Silver Media Group, founded by Golden Horse Award-winning producer Chan Gin Kai, manages a portfolio of more than 1,500 intellectual property assets spanning film, animation, games and graphic novels.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
  • If the transmission line wins approval, the cost of the project will be spread among all ratepayers served by the California Independent System Operator, which manages about 80% of the state’s electrical grid.
    — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of manages
Verb
  • The spa is intimate rather than sprawling, but the combination of treatments, nail bar, gym, and quiet pool deck works well for a restorative stay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Nina Smith, a former Buttigieg adviser who now works closely with progressive causes, disagreed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of works
Verb
  • This branch of civil engineering applies the laws of physics and mathematics to design the skeletons of artificial structures.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The same method applies to cameras, Patricolo and McCarty said.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of applies
Verb
  • At night, Voltaire handles intimate, high-production shows (pop divas and burlesque), while TAO and other venues are for the party people.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The final-mile carrier then handles what is essentially a local shipment, rather than transporting the package across the country itself.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of handles
Verb
  • The State Board of Education supervises public K–12 education across the state, overseeing educational interests in Kansas.
    — Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • David Smith, who supervises the district’s aedes crew, said his team has received an increasing number of service requests for day-biting mosquitoes within the neighborhood.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of supervises
Verb
  • However, these uses remain future possibilities, and the team plans to test how the material performs in device-relevant forms.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Ogbonnaya, who performs under his first name, will be on the bill; so will No-Fi RPM, a live-mixing series that Curran and Farlee run with collaborators Estevan Medina, Dillon Kelley and Patrick Mitchell.
    — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of performs
Verb
  • Nissan The upcoming US version of the Rogue utilizes a specialized variable-compression turbo engine designed to maintain peak electrical generation efficiency at high American highway speeds, aiming for a real-world rating somewhere over 40 mpg.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Biolyz isn’t the only biomarker test Leverkusen uses; the team also utilizes capillary blood draws through the fingertip or earlobe.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of utilizes

Browse Nearby Words

operated
operates
operatic
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Cite this Entry

“Operates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operates. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of operates for Spanish Speakers

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