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
Relevance
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
Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
But he’s recruited by mysterious government operative Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) for a monumental mission.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Seems is the operative word here.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
That bill, which was requested by Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas for the second year in a row, is meant to prevent political operatives from repeatedly committing absentee ballot fraud, as has been alleged in Bridgeport.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
But he’s recruited by mysterious government operative Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) for a monumental mission.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Supporting them is a multilingual team that assists patients throughout the entire journey, from start to finish, from consultation to post-operative care.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Seems is the operative word here.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
-
Like a quintessential spy movie montage, Kennedy’s inner circle started hatching a plan on how to hide the president’s son and a princess.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Clooney used his earnings from the commercials to fund the Satellite Sentinel Project, which used spy satellites to try to deter war in Sudan.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.—
Nathan Pilling
March 17,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As their investigation continues, LBPD detectives asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them at (562) 570-7355.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, though revenue and operating profit increased, non-operating red ink pushed the company into a full-year loss of NT$766 million, or $25 million.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
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
-
Green thinking underpins every practice at Hotel Maria - from the energy-efficient lighting right through to recycling programs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The two companies announced a successful demonstration of autonomous electronic warfare capabilities, highlighting how artificial intelligence can support faster and more efficient responses to threats in the electromagnetic spectrum.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Liam Ramos, 5, and his father were taken into custody by ICE agents from their home in Columbia Heights during the ICE surge in January.—
Jason Rantala,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Proposals to prohibit federal immigration agents from masking their faces have gained new life in states -- thanks in part to a court ruling that blocked the nation's first such law, in California.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Anyone with further information was encouraged to contact investigator Manny Milian by calling Riverside Sheriff's dispatch at (951) 776-1099 or the Perris Sheriff's Station at (951) 210-1000.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Federal investigators said their review uncovered broader violations, concluding the district also allowed male students to access female-only facilities and compete on girls teams.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The fleet will start replacing the Navy’s aging Ohio-class submarines by the 2030s and will remain operational till 2084.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The officers involved were transferred from operational duty to administrative activities to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation by the military police internal affairs division, police said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Both variants feature rapid charging technology that remains effective even in harsh climates – at temperatures as low as −22°F, charging time increases by only about three minutes, CarNewsChina reported.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The spa itself sprawls 64,000 square feet and has a cluster of treatment pavilions, fitness centers, and outdoor pools where hydrotherapy sessions are performed (my partner turned to jelly after a particularly effective water shiatsu session).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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