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
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Democratic operatives are calling on members of their party to hold the line despite some pressure to cave and vote to reopen the government.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
For one, the Jones-Turner SPAC was still operative when Jones signed with the Clippers.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
Congress passed the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which allowed the President to employ limited wartime powers against Al-Qaeda operatives.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Democratic operatives are calling on members of their party to hold the line despite some pressure to cave and vote to reopen the government.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Entirely being the operative word.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
For one, the Jones-Turner SPAC was still operative when Jones signed with the Clippers.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
-
The Mark is a spy flick centered on Eden (Alba), an enigmatic spy on a covert and dangerous mission.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The 57-year-old son of a schoolteacher, Munir ran Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency before becoming top general in 2022.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Wilson County Sheriff’s Office detectives also found seven shell casings.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
14 Oct. 2025
-
And while the chemistry in the show — which followed a former model (Shepherd) and a detective (Bruce) who manage a private detective agency — was undeniable, a feud was seemingly brewing behind the scenes.—
Abby Stern,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 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
-
As tinted denim becomes more mainstream, mills are developing ways to make the process more efficient.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Regularly vacuuming is one of the most efficient ways to prevent and get rid of carpet beetles.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Two of Beane’s top free-agent signings, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, are returning from six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel, and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency workers remain on the job.—
Terry Moseley,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
No injuries were reported, but investigators recovered two pieces of shrapnel measuring approximately one to two inches long.—
Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
-
French authorities swarmed the museum in the 24 hours following, with photographs from outside the famed museum showing forensics investigators searching the scene for clues.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The operational side is so key.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Equipped with advanced turboshaft engines, high-efficiency rotor systems, and anti-icing technology, the military variants of the Z-20 are built for demanding operational conditions.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
What are the features of audiences, messages, and messengers on social media that are most effective at influencing people?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Surgery is often an effective treatment option for people with early-stage stomach cancer.—
Carrie Madormo,
Health,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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