operational
adjective
op·er·a·tion·al
ˌä-pə-ˈrā-sh(ə-)nəl 
1
: of or relating to operation or to an operation
the operational gap between planning and production
2
: of, relating to, or based on operations
3
a
: of, engaged in, or connected with execution of military or naval operations in campaign or battle
b
: ready for or in condition to undertake a destined function
operationally
adverb
Examples of operational in a Sentence
The new airport should be fully operational by next year.
The computer network is now operational.
Recent Examples on the Web
Once operational, Google will see your IP address but will engage a third-party to control the other proxy that accesses destination IPs.
—
Zak Doffman, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
In any event, there are no operational small reactors in the U.S. today, though startups and industry stalwarts, including Westinghouse, are racing to commercialize the technology.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2025
Given all that, sending the detainees to Guantánamo seems more like a public-relations stunt than like an operational decision.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025
Leaders must recognize and validate the emotions of their staff and communities, acknowledging the human cost of a crisis rather than focusing solely on operational recovery.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operational
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.
Zak Doffman, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
In any event, there are no operational small reactors in the U.S. today, though startups and industry stalwarts, including Westinghouse, are racing to commercialize the technology.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2025
Given all that, sending the detainees to Guantánamo seems more like a public-relations stunt than like an operational decision.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025
Leaders must recognize and validate the emotions of their staff and communities, acknowledging the human cost of a crisis rather than focusing solely on operational recovery.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operational
Cite this Entry
“Operational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operational. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
operational
adjective
op·er·a·tion·al
ˌäp-ə-ˈrā-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
1
: of or relating to operation or an operation
2
: ready for operation
Legal Definition
operational
adjective
op·er·a·tion·al
ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shə-nəl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share