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
That is until their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, and the pair become CIA operatives.
—
Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 June 2026
The eight defendants, described by federal prosecutors as antifa operatives, were convicted after three weeks of trial and less than two days of jury deliberation in March.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026
Dunlap launched an insurgent campaign to challenge Golden in 2025, prompting a backlash from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as Democratic lawmakers and operatives who suggested Dunlap could not win the rural, conservative-leaning seat.
—James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2026
That same year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain, with Russian operatives as the prime suspects.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Daniel uses it to threaten the operatives, recover the backpack, and stage-manage their escape.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026
That same year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain, with Russian operatives as the prime suspects.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
Reporting showed political operatives with ties to FPL helped orchestrate the scheme.
—Nate Monroe, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2026
In season 3, Joe must walk the line between duty and her home life, as hidden networks, foreign operatives, and personal betrayals collide.
—Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 June 2026
The eight defendants, described by federal prosecutors as antifa operatives, were convicted after three weeks of trial and less than two days of jury deliberation in March.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026
Dunlap launched an insurgent campaign to challenge Golden in 2025, prompting a backlash from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as Democratic lawmakers and operatives who suggested Dunlap could not win the rural, conservative-leaning seat.
—James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 19 June 2026
That same year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain, with Russian operatives as the prime suspects.
—Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Daniel uses it to threaten the operatives, recover the backpack, and stage-manage their escape.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 16 June 2026
That same year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain, with Russian operatives as the prime suspects.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
Reporting showed political operatives with ties to FPL helped orchestrate the scheme.
—Nate Monroe, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 June 2026
In season 3, Joe must walk the line between duty and her home life, as hidden networks, foreign operatives, and personal betrayals collide.
—Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operatives
Noun
-
Big tech and corporate spies Grady’s stewardship of state money has been questioned in the past.—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
Kaarsbo—who had spent fifteen years working alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan—was not too concerned about professional spies.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Police said there were no signs of trauma or foul play and homicide detectives are investigating.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 June 2026
-
On June 12, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Pollock on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, police said.—
Sofia Saric
June 23,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
Noun
-
Federal drug agents are trying to stop the FIFA World Cup from becoming a cash cow for drug dealers who hope to profit from the millions of domestic and international visitors headed to North Texas.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
Last year, amid a federal deportation surge, ICE agents there tackled protesters and made numerous arrests.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
In the final seconds before impact, investigators found Wilburn was attempting to avoid the collision but was unable to stop before the red light.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
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The commissioners plan to develop a five-year plan to phase in state funding, along with enforceable standards like caseload limits and access to defense investigators.—
Anat Rubin,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operatives. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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