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
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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
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025
The film portrays the story of two professional operatives, played by Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, working on opposite sides of a gorge.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 18 Feb. 2025
Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
The action-comedy from director Seth Gordon features the formidable Close as Ginny, an MI6 operative vet and the estranged mother of Cameron Diaz’s character, Emily.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
According to O’Neill, Jolly West, a CIA operative and brainwashing expert, used the clinic to recruit subjects for studies on LSD in youth.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025
The film portrays the story of two professional operatives, played by Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, working on opposite sides of a gorge.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Grants are earmarked for medical and vital living expenses, including insurance premiums, prescriptions, medical treatment and operative procedures, housing costs, food costs, utilities, and other basic necessities.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
The action-comedy from director Seth Gordon features the formidable Close as Ginny, an MI6 operative vet and the estranged mother of Cameron Diaz’s character, Emily.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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The titular protagonist is a former military spy turned maverick detective and, importantly, bookshop owner.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2025
-
First came Witness by the American journalist Whittaker Chambers, a former communist and Soviet spy who eventually broke with the party and became a political conservative.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Hardy plays Walker, a bruised detective fighting his way through the criminal underworld that is threatening to engulf an entire city.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2025
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Heidenreich has denied involvement in his girlfriend's death, per the AAP, despite admitting that his stepfather — a former Cairns police officer — was friendly with a detective working on the murder case.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Under Proposition 309, voters casting mail-in ballots could provide a driver's license or non-operating identification license number, the last four digits of a social security number, or a unique identifying number provided by the secretary of state for voter registration purposes.—
Arlyssa D. Becenti,
The Arizona Republic,
27 Oct. 2022
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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
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This uptick in market interest coincided with more efficient manufacturing practices and a growing interest in fashion after the boom of economic growth post-World War II.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Domino’s has also developed its own supply chain to diversify revenues, manufacturing ingredients like dough with efficient, labor-reducing technology and selling them to its franchisees, who get the ingredients at a low cost.—
Mark Dent,
thehustle.co,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Caro Quintero was released when a court overturned his 40-year sentence for the 1985 kidnapping and killing of DEA agent Camarena.—
Greg Wehner,
Fox News,
28 Feb. 2025
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The former leader of a Mexican cartel, thought responsible for the 1985 death of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent in the 1980s, was among 29 defendants extradited to the United States Thursday.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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According to authorities, investigators have not found any evidence indicating the victim was responsible for the ATV thefts.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
1 Mar. 2025
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Two people who had been shot were found dead inside a Thornton home on Wednesday that investigators believe was intentionally set on fire, police said.—
Katie Langford,
The Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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But to be effective, to save and change lives, to build strong, safe and prosperous nations, aid itself will have to change.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Reaching that threshold would mean the AfD could unilaterally vote for inquiries into government affairs, giving its base an effective voice.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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