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
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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
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
In one case, operatives posing as art dealers interested in purchasing a work by a dissident artist secretly installed surveillance equipment in his workplace and a GPS tracker on his car.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing, food, utilities and other basic necessities.
—Andrea Zarczynski, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
Rather, Nick Badolato, a Brooklyn Conservative Party operative, collected signatures to run on the party’s line against Zhuang.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
In one case, operatives posing as art dealers interested in purchasing a work by a dissident artist secretly installed surveillance equipment in his workplace and a GPS tracker on his car.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Sloppy is the operative word here, and Udoka’s brief assessment spoke volumes.
—Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing, food, utilities and other basic necessities.
—Andrea Zarczynski, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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Cassian is now a secret spy for the budding Rebel Alliance.—
Fidel Martinez,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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The payloads included a South Korean military radar spy satellite, a small commercial weather satellite, and the most interesting payload: an experimental reentry vehicle from a German startup named Atmos Space Cargo.—
Abigail Bassett,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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With the Farris Wheel starting to turn, detectives asked Scott if his father was having an affair.—
Susan Mallie,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2025
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Prosecutors also said detectives recovered video footage that suggests there may be dozens, if not hundreds, of women who were victimized.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Under Proposition 309, voters casting mail-in ballots could provide a driver's license or non-operating identification license number, the last four digits of a social security number, or a unique identifying number provided by the secretary of state for voter registration purposes.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
The Arizona Republic,
27 Oct. 2022
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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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Because dogs learn by association, rewarding them with a treat or praise for their good behavior is essential to make training more efficient and also more appealing to them.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
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This method is mathematically more efficient because higher interest debts cost more to carry.—
Judy Lagrou,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The same source suggested to The Athletic that Sanders' refusal to hire an agent to represent him in an official capacity acted as a detriment.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Gibbs meets his red-headed real estate agent, Diane (Kathleen Kenny).—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Deputies took a missing persons report, but Sheriff’s investigators soon suspected the elderly Sayasane had been killed, with signs pointing to his roommate, 31-year-old Benjamin Dougherty.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Miami Gardens’ investigators on Friday afternoon were still trying to determine who the shooter was and the circumstances of the altercation, the spokesperson said.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As the relationship progressed, the Chinese national's demands grew increasingly specific and sensitive — requesting technical manuals, operational procedures and intelligence assessments.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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What To Know The Japanese Defense Ministry reported that several Chinese naval vessels, which included China's second operational aircraft carrier CNS Shandong, were spotted in the waters east of Luzon, the Philippines' largest island in the northern portion of the country, on Wednesday.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Providing learning opportunities to help team members understand their natural tendencies and work styles, along with facilitated workshops, can support trust-building and foster more effective collaboration and a thriving culture.—
Kerri Sutey,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, my go-to gentle yet effective cleansers are Pavitt’s face wash or IS Clinical’s.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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