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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of operatives
Political operatives tied to Florida Power & Light’s parent company were involved in the scandal, and a former Republican state senator was convicted of violating campaign finance laws.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
27 June 2026
That ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire by the paramilitary group Hezbollah and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector, an area in southern Lebanon.
—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
26 June 2026
There’s a whole different kind of stress, too, as political operatives start getting rattled by the cops’ investigation into political contributions, and threaten to shut them down.
—
Ew Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 June 2026
Giddy House Republican operatives vowed to weaponize Mamdani and his slate to undercut the Democratic brand in competitive midterm elections across the country, while other Republican officials warned their party to pay attention to this pivotal moment in the nation's politics.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
The largest amount, at $960,000, was disclosed last year by political operatives Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl on behalf of Joseph Schwartz — a nursing home operator who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a nearly $39 million payroll tax fraud scheme.
—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
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
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
27 June 2026
That ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire by the paramilitary group Hezbollah and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector, an area in southern Lebanon.
—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
26 June 2026
There’s a whole different kind of stress, too, as political operatives start getting rattled by the cops’ investigation into political contributions, and threaten to shut them down.
—
Ew Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 June 2026
Giddy House Republican operatives vowed to weaponize Mamdani and his slate to undercut the Democratic brand in competitive midterm elections across the country, while other Republican officials warned their party to pay attention to this pivotal moment in the nation's politics.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
The largest amount, at $960,000, was disclosed last year by political operatives Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl on behalf of Joseph Schwartz — a nursing home operator who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a nearly $39 million payroll tax fraud scheme.
—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operatives
Noun
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On Stranger Things, Harbour played police chief Jim Hopper, the surrogate father to Brown's telekinetic teen Eleven, and the new drama from A24 and Netflix finds them as estranged father-daughter spies.
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The District of Columbia's most affluent suburb is McLean, home to diplomats and spies.
Noun
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Police said there were no signs of trauma or foul play and homicide detectives are investigating.
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On June 12, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Pollock on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, police said.
Noun
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Before choosing a whitening method, check the care label for guidance on water temperature, safe cleaning agents, and recommended drying methods.
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When your workforce includes full-time employees, fractional specialists and AI agents, culture becomes about how work gets done, not who does it.
Noun
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On May 1, investigators served a search warrant and seized evidence.
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Anyone with more information regarding the incident was asked to contact the SBSD Homicide Detail investigators at 909-890-4904.
Cite this Entry
“Operatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operatives. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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