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
Years later, drawn into a covert network of operatives and manipulated through a web of corruption, Clay must decide whether to become the weapon he was shaped to be or dismantle the system from within.
—
Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
Authorities should also examine whether Allen was known to authorities and, if so, whether intelligence operatives could have pieced together his train travel and arrival in the president’s orbit, Shortland said.
—Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The indictment says that in exchange for money, the soldiers maintained contact with Iranian intelligence operatives over a few months and carried out a range of tasks under their direction.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Before the outbreak of its latest war with Israel in 2023, estimates of Hezbollah's military strength ranged from 30,000 to more than 50,000 operatives.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Through much of the 19th century plenty of American journalists were either directly on the government payroll or had sideline patronage jobs working as political party operatives.
—Corey Hutchins, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
His former clients include the political operatives Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro.
—Diego Lasarte, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
Some operatives say the allegations were shocking in their scale, but didn’t come entirely out of left field—rumors about Swalwell’s behavior had quietly circulated in political circles for years.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Shoshani said Israel warned civilians to evacuate before the strikes, but Hezbollah moved its operatives into new civilian locations.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
Authorities should also examine whether Allen was known to authorities and, if so, whether intelligence operatives could have pieced together his train travel and arrival in the president’s orbit, Shortland said.
—Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The indictment says that in exchange for money, the soldiers maintained contact with Iranian intelligence operatives over a few months and carried out a range of tasks under their direction.
—Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Before the outbreak of its latest war with Israel in 2023, estimates of Hezbollah's military strength ranged from 30,000 to more than 50,000 operatives.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Through much of the 19th century plenty of American journalists were either directly on the government payroll or had sideline patronage jobs working as political party operatives.
—Corey Hutchins, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
His former clients include the political operatives Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro.
—Diego Lasarte, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
Some operatives say the allegations were shocking in their scale, but didn’t come entirely out of left field—rumors about Swalwell’s behavior had quietly circulated in political circles for years.
—Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 2026
Shoshani said Israel warned civilians to evacuate before the strikes, but Hezbollah moved its operatives into new civilian locations.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operatives
Noun
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According to the ministry, foreign spies are infiltrating everything from mapping apps to weather stations.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
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The logline concerns two rival spies who cross paths in a Lamaze class as their wives become fast friends.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Police said detectives quickly launched an investigation and identified two suspects.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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No one was in custody for the fatal attack, and detectives were investigating.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Spirit’s thousands of employees have lost their jobs, so there won’t be customer service agents to assist them.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
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The new era of college basketball, with unlimited transfers, players and their agents negotiating substantial salaries and big schools’ poaching of the best mid-major players – there’s no other way to put it – only increases the distance between the power schools and everyone else.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Allison Barr/The Oregonian via AP Portland police said in a statement Saturday night that during an ensuing search of the vehicle and building, investigators located several incendiary and improvised explosive devices, some of which had partially detonated.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
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DiMartino wrote in an email that KCPD plans to send a press release with details of the crash once investigators leave the scene.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operatives. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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