1
as in mission
a specific task with which a person or group is charged
a secret operation which, if it is discovered, the government will deny any knowledge of
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in process
a usually fixed or ordered series of actions or events leading to a result
a specific mathematical operation is required in order to get the correct answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something
given the constant threat of robbery, the operation of a convenience store can be quite stressful
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
a considerable amount of training is required for the operation of these new high-tech weapons systems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of operation
The reallocation comes as Russia pounds Ukraine with its drone offensive and after Ukraine struck deep inside Russia with its own drones last week, shocking Russia in a clandestine operation.
—
Chris Boccia, ABC News, 9 June 2025
The Trump administration has maintained that terminations are coming from agency heads and insisted Musk hasn't been running DOGE's day-to-day operations.
—Arkansas Online, 29 May 2025
The Competitive Advantage Of Operational Excellence In Private Equity
Private equity operations strategies create value through successful implementation that drives both organizational health and competitive success.
—Jeffrey Bartel, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
On top of that, a series of radar and radio outages prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to further reduce the number of flight operations at the airport, partly because a handful of controllers took trauma leave after briefly losing contact with planes in April.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for operation
Chris Boccia, ABC News, 9 June 2025
The Trump administration has maintained that terminations are coming from agency heads and insisted Musk hasn't been running DOGE's day-to-day operations.
—Arkansas Online, 29 May 2025
The Competitive Advantage Of Operational Excellence In Private Equity
Private equity operations strategies create value through successful implementation that drives both organizational health and competitive success.
—Jeffrey Bartel, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
On top of that, a series of radar and radio outages prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to further reduce the number of flight operations at the airport, partly because a handful of controllers took trauma leave after briefly losing contact with planes in April.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for operation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operation
Noun
-
The trailer certainly paints a trippy picture of a high-tech near-future that veers into nightmare territory, as so many games in the Black Ops franchise tend to do, slipping between missions in the real-world and a psychedelic dream-world filled with demons and other nightmares.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
SpaceX is best known for its high-profile crewed missions to the International Space Station and its ambitious Starship program.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Liane-Cho Han: One of the biggest challenges of this process was finding the right tone to match our target audience.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
8 June 2025
-
Suppose intelligent machines are used to help shape decision processes in life-changing situations, such as criminal court proceedings, or to aid emergency care first responders in disaster situations.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Falcon Crest Golf Club in Kuna — along with its management company, Century Golf Partners — is weighing the facility’s transition from public to private.—
Amaia Gavica,
Idaho Statesman,
3 June 2025
-
Adopt inventory management software and real-time tracking tools that offer clear visibility across all channels, helping to minimize overselling, underselling and stock discrepancies.—
Adam Ayers,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2025
-
Any reductions in opioid use—even small ones—are a positive sign, added Amanda Williams, PhD, professor of clinical health psychology at University College London.—
Kristen Fischer,
Health,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
The unemployment rate is hovering at just over 4%, and employers have added a solid number of jobs each month.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
-
For manufacturing to continue growing our economy, creating jobs and developing the best products in the world, the United States must update its permitting laws and procedures.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Cosmetic surgery figures into the film’s tart exchanges, and into its plot as well (there’s an extreme procedure, which costs several hundred grand, that’s there to give the audience major pause).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
Part of the reason for the increase is a change in procedure.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Individual polls show that Americans remain sharply divided over Trump's handling of the economy during his second term.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
-
Santa Ono drew criticism from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel camps in Michigan over his handling of the protests.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
That program cost thousands and didn’t include real-world applications or hands-on training.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
The Office of the Pardon Attorney and the White House continue to process thousands of applications, with the possibility of further high-profile pardons under active review.—
Peter Aitken
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operation. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share