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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of operative
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Leo plays a hot-shot CIA operative trying to track a shadowy terrorist kingpin through Iraq and Jordan.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
As for non-operative, non-surgical treatments, osteoarthritis management could look like a combination of physical therapy, exercise and medications, Garbarino says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
With the Lowell Mill textile operatives and their 1834 and 1836 strikes for fair treatment and decent wages.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Leo plays a hot-shot CIA operative trying to track a shadowy terrorist kingpin through Iraq and Jordan.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Some studies have even suggested the drug improves sleep quality in post-operative patients.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
As for non-operative, non-surgical treatments, osteoarthritis management could look like a combination of physical therapy, exercise and medications, Garbarino says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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Though Curry got the stats in the box score, the Buckeyes’ coverage, including a spy — usually Arvell Reese — deserves just as much credit for limiting Washington’s offense.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Lisbeth Salander is part Western hero, part expert hacker, part international spy and part Pippi Longstocking.—
Anders de la Motte,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The second season is set to bow next year with Hodge set to return as the iconic detective.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
30 Sep. 2025
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During his confession, Jones said the Nestors hired him to clean around their business — and told detectives what led up to the killings.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The adjusted net income decreased by 8% y-o-y to $3.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022 due to higher expenses as a % of revenues and lower non-operating income.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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But Edison’s bulb was just one piece of a much more complicated system that included an efficient dynamo – the powerful machine that generated electricity – plus a network of underground wires and new types of lamps.—
Ernest Freeberg,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Lori Nickel shares how former Brewers player and now-associate manager Rickie Weeks finished his degree to become an efficient communicator.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Federal immigration agents carried out a weeklong enforcement campaign across central Florida that led to the arrest of more than 400 migrants without legal status, officials say.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
His plan is to pose as a Fish & Wildlife agent, there to question Catalina’s husband about poaching … and then what?—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Hamilton County Coroner's Office investigators are looking for relatives or friends of a West End woman who died recently.—
Enquirer staff,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
-
In mid-2020, investigators had a major breakthrough.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Once the new antenna becomes operational, New Norcia will be ESA’s first ground station to host two deep space antennas.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Oct. 2025
-
In addressing irreparable harm, Immergut said the state faced constitutional injury from loss of control over its Guard, operational harm from diversion of troops trained for state emergencies and public safety risks.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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If someone is forced to fight an attacker, the officer said the most effective targets are the eyes, throat and groin.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Broadleaf herbicides are effective, too, and fall is the best time to apply them.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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