as in operating
being in effective operation
a fully operational oil refinery
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Recent Examples of operational
The company must now reckon with the loss of one of its few New Glenn rockets, the destruction of its only operational launch pad for those rockets, and what could be months or years of investigation and delays before the booster can return to flight.
—
Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 May 2026
As of May 26, the new trains developed by a Swiss manufacturer had not met the full suite of safety checks to be operational within 30 days, after the World Cup begins in Atlanta, the outlet reported.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Grounded since its seventh and final operational mission on June 8, 2024, VSS Unity and its quad-jet carrier aircraft took to the skies over New Mexico on Wednesday.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
Critics accuse him of failing to translate tactical and operational military successes into strategic gains.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for operational
Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 May 2026
As of May 26, the new trains developed by a Swiss manufacturer had not met the full suite of safety checks to be operational within 30 days, after the World Cup begins in Atlanta, the outlet reported.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Grounded since its seventh and final operational mission on June 8, 2024, VSS Unity and its quad-jet carrier aircraft took to the skies over New Mexico on Wednesday.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
Critics accuse him of failing to translate tactical and operational military successes into strategic gains.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for operational
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operational
Adjective
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True, some if the upside surprise has come from non-operating gains on holdings in huge, private AI pioneers, but not all of it.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
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Exxon operates some of the wells directly and holds a financial, non-operating interest in the others.—
Rachel Nostrant,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Post-operative care is provided with a special kit containing shampoos, lotions, and medical products, and the clinic maintains high hygiene standards by sanitizing procedure rooms through ultraviolet technology.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
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And with knee surgeries, rehab is most important in the early stages of post-operative recovery.—
Jeff Fedotin,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The location had critical issues with non-functioning refrigeration units, which led to food being stored at unsafe temperatures, city officials said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
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Collins says cleaning a functioning or newer dryer once every two years is sufficient to clear our major blocks and prevent more serious complications, such as clogs that can lead to fires.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Operational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operational. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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