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
Steve Peoples, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
Once a loyal Republican and McCain campaign operative, her transformation to anti-Trump voice was spurred by personal experiences that have shaped her point of view.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
But the operative word is delayed, not destroyed.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
And Democratic operatives have begun informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even as most believe that Martin’s job isn’t in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.
—Steve Peoples, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
Once a loyal Republican and McCain campaign operative, her transformation to anti-Trump voice was spurred by personal experiences that have shaped her point of view.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Adjective
Lara’s pre-operative test results were abnormal, and revealed clear signs of keratoconus, making LASIK unsuitable.
—Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
But the operative word is delayed, not destroyed.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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Marrakchi, who has also directed episodes of such TV series as French spy thriller The Bureau and Damien Chazelle’s The Eddy, returns to Cannes’ Un Certain Regard program, where her 2005 feature debut Marock, about a Muslim-Jewish romance in Casablanca, also premiered.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
-
Cuban officials later confirmed the spy director's visit in an official statement.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Guy Ritchie directed both Sherlock Holmes films, which starred Jude Law as the titular detective's sidekick Watson.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
-
Her detective Lord Peter Wimsey was usually to be found in the upper-class households and clubs that defined a certain strata of English society in the 1920s and 1930s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 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
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But while this type of approach can be a smart route to take, throwing sponsorship money at every job listing generally isn't an effective or efficient strategy.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
High gas prices are leading American drivers to seek more fuel-efficient vehicles.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The debate also reflected the broader political moment, with several candidates positioning themselves either as defenders of California’s current direction or as agents of course correction on public safety, cost of living, and trust in government.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Though many people come to far West Texas for its isolation—the Unabomber’s slightly less reclusive brother did a stint here in the eighties, living at first in a crude underground shelter—Miller said that immigration-enforcement agents have been an intrusive presence for many years.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt told 6 ABC that investigators believe a group of friends, who included two boys and two girls, were hanging out at the home when the fatal shooting occurred.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
State police later spoke to Vargas’ mother who said their lawyer had advised them not to talk to investigators and would contact police on their behalf, according to the warrant affidavit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Israel was reportedly the first nation to use the F-35 in actual combat operations, demonstrating the aircraft’s operational readiness and effectiveness in modern warfare environments.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
That would be followed by an orbital free-flyer called Vortex-S, and the Vortex-C operational cargo transport vehicle with a total mass of about 8 to 9 metric tons.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
With several senior players experiencing prolonged dips in form, Mason Greenwood has again been Marseille’s most effective performer, scoring 26 goals in 44 matches across all competitions and being named in the Ligue 1 team of the season.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Cultural understanding and linguistic responsiveness are essential components of effective treatment.—
Maria Bledsoe,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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