operation

1 a specific task with which a person or group is charged a secret operation which, if it is discovered, the government will deny any knowledge of Synonyms assignment, brief, business, charge, detail, job, mission, postRelated Words burden, chore, duty, need, obligation, office, requirement, responsibility; errand, labor, work; commitment, pledge, promise; appointment, commission, designation, nomination; compulsion, constraint, restraint

2 a usually fixed or ordered series of actions or events leading to a result a specific mathematical operation is required in order to get the correct answer Synonyms course, process, procedure, proceedingRelated Words drill, routine; fashion, form, manner, method, mode, style, system, technique, way; approach, arrangement, blueprint, design, formula, game plan, ground plan, layout, plan, plot, program, project, recipe, scheme, strategy; accomplishment, achievement, attainment, enterprise, performance, undertaking, work; activity, functioning, movement

3 the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something given the constant threat of robbery, the operation of a convenience store can be quite stressful Synonyms administration, care, charge, control, direction, governance, government, guidance, handling, intendance, management, conduct, oversight, presidency, regulation, running, stewardship, superintendence, superintendency, supervisionRelated Words generalship, leadership, rulership; agency; aegis (also egis), custody, guardianship, keeping, lap, protection, safekeeping, trust, tutelage, ward; engineering, logistics, machination, manipulation; coadministration, codirection, comanagement

4 the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose a considerable amount of training is required for the operation of these new high-tech weapons systems Synonyms application, employment, exercise, use, play, usageRelated Words exertion; reuseNear Antonyms disuse, nonuse