1
as in spies
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 detectives
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of operatives
Using a special encryption code, the operatives could translate the numerals into a readable message.
—
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Republican operatives have pointed to Kim’s lukewarm support of the president in previous years.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026
His family believes Israeli operatives kidnapped him to get information about the case and took him to Israel.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
These target banks are filled with the names, faces, or voices of potential operatives marked for assassination.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
Domestic law enforcement remains particularly vigilant for Iranian sleeper cells, lone actors and clandestine operatives living in our cities and towns under the radar.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Somalia, targeted multiple times in a campaign against Islamic State operatives, has been struck 168 times, according to New America, a nonprofit group that has tracked the military campaign.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The attacks included suicide missions — a method that Hamas operatives had learned from Hezbollah trainers in Lebanon.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
That group, so named for the four brothers who controlled it, was severely weakened about two decades ago through fighting with Sinaloa operatives and a systematic dismantling by federal investigators and prosecutors in San Diego.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Republican operatives have pointed to Kim’s lukewarm support of the president in previous years.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026
His family believes Israeli operatives kidnapped him to get information about the case and took him to Israel.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
These target banks are filled with the names, faces, or voices of potential operatives marked for assassination.
—Justin Salhani, The Dial, 5 Mar. 2026
Domestic law enforcement remains particularly vigilant for Iranian sleeper cells, lone actors and clandestine operatives living in our cities and towns under the radar.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Somalia, targeted multiple times in a campaign against Islamic State operatives, has been struck 168 times, according to New America, a nonprofit group that has tracked the military campaign.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
The attacks included suicide missions — a method that Hamas operatives had learned from Hezbollah trainers in Lebanon.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
That group, so named for the four brothers who controlled it, was severely weakened about two decades ago through fighting with Sinaloa operatives and a systematic dismantling by federal investigators and prosecutors in San Diego.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operatives
Noun
-
On the Beach, Cold War spies, and a certain fictional cat named Virtute.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The monotone transmission recalled the manner in which deep-cover Cold War spies for the KGB and CIA once received orders.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The investigation led detectives to suspect Berron.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Gonzalez said the department didn’t have any details about the incident Tuesday as detectives continued to process the scene.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Escobar also met with a detainee from Ecuador who said his arm had been broken during a violent arrest by immigration agents in Minnesota.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The white phosphorus then ignites and burns intensely, destroying the agents by incinerating them – a method meant to reduce the risk of spreading the materials and to limit potential harm to civilians and the surrounding environment.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
According to investigators, Jayden Ryan Wallace, 18, began driving away in a pickup truck on North Gate Drive when Hughes tripped and fell into the road, where he was struck by the vehicle.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Tisch added that investigators are continuing to analyze a second device.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operatives. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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