1
as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
CIA operatives take terrible risks to find out the secrets of foreign countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
set in the 1930s, the novel is about a washed-out operative working for a third-rate detective agency
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in operating
being in effective operation
the last operative bookbinder of its kind in the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in efficient
producing or capable of producing a desired result
unfortunately, the operative amount of the medication and the lethal amount were too close for it to be used safely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of operative
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
At their initial meeting, Ejection clung to the conviction that Chalker was a Mossad operative trying to lure him to his death.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The long-standing phrase energy transition remains operative for much of the world—though others reject it.
—Justin Worland, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
Dhurandhar, Bollywood spy thriller in two parts, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh as an Indian operative on an undercover mission in Pakistan.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
At their initial meeting, Ejection clung to the conviction that Chalker was a Mossad operative trying to lure him to his death.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
His campaign has gained the backing of controversial right-wing radio host and political operative Dan Proft of Naples, Florida, as well as far-right former legislator Jeanne Ives, now a member of the Republican State Central Committee.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The long-standing phrase energy transition remains operative for much of the world—though others reject it.
—Justin Worland, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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Healey announced a similar military operation in November after Russia deployed the spy ship Yantar to the North Sea in 2025.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Less than a week before the incident, the victim testified against Mohammed in an eviction hearing, prompting Mohammed to accuse him of being a government spy.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In 2022, six weeks after a new police commissioner formed the Gilgo Beach task force, detectives identified Heuermann as a suspect by using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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No one was in custody for the fatal attack, and detectives were investigating.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Exxon operates some of the wells directly and holds a financial, non-operating interest in the others.—
Rachel Nostrant,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Last year, though revenue and operating profit increased, non-operating red ink pushed the company into a full-year loss of NT$766 million, or $25 million.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The service Service is efficient, with the infrastructure to support a resort of this scale.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Wacha was efficient in the strike zone.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Body-camera footage shows him being placed in handcuffs, while agents searched his FedEx truck for some sign of Athena.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Dashcam video captured the moments Tuesday morning when Hernandez tried to pull away from agents who were attempting to arrest him as ICE said he is wanted for questioning in El Salvador in connection with a murder.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Riverside County District Attorney's Office In 2024, investigators working in conjunction with the Riverside County Coroner's Office and the Regional Cold Case Homicide Team re-examined the case with new advances in forensic science, including genetic genealogy.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Hunters exploring in a remote section of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest stumbled onto a body in the dark, according to investigators in western North Carolina.—
Mark Price
April 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But it's come a long way, and the top regulator says that the state could see a more fully operational, steady market by the end of the year.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Hutchinson stressed that fee increases are separate from bond funds, because bonds cannot pay for operational costs the fees cover, like books and meals.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Gabapentin has proved effective at helping some mastectomy patients with stubborn pain, while others have responded to electrodes implanted in their spinal column, according to the Baylor study, published in 2024.—
Brett Kelman,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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While these methods remain effective, excessive tilling can break down soil aggregates into smaller particles, reducing soil health and increasing erosion risk.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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