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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of operative
arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Now, the Mexican government is sending another 29 wanted cartel operatives to U.S. custody.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for operative
Noun
The laptop was discovered by Republican operatives weeks before the 2020 election and prompted a litany of accusations against the Biden family.
—arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Now, the Mexican government is sending another 29 wanted cartel operatives to U.S. custody.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The court announced only the introductory and operative parts of the verdict, Meduza reported.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for operative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operative
Noun
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Matt Damon originated the role of the spy who suffers from psychogenic amnesia and is forced to unlock his connection to the CIA.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
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The supporting cast includes Denise Richards, Chris Kattan, and the ever-fabulous Aunjanue Ellis, as Sistah Girl, the most efficient spy in the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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No one was in custody and detectives were investigating.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2025
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One of the men involved in the shooting was also struck by gunfire and taken to a hospital, where he was interviewed by detectives.—
Julia Bonavita,
Fox News,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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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Experiments are under way with algae (since algae breathes carbon dioxide and provides oxygen in return), and smaller, more efficient plant designs.—
David Pogue,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
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Luckily, a door seems to be opening to empower you to find a cleaner, more efficient work-life balance.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Family Photo That all changed on the evening of March 8, when federal agents arrived at their door.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
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Here, traffic optimization isn’t just a single system’s job; fleets of autonomous vehicles, interconnected traffic lights, and predictive analytics engines work as coordinated agents, dynamically rerouting vehicles and minimizing congestion.—
Cathy Hackl,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The government's own investigators have repeatedly found serious problems in immigration detention centers around the country.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA TODAY,
23 Mar. 2025
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In a missing persons poster provided by the sheriff's office, investigators wrote that the family had rented a 2024 white BMW with California license plate number 9KHN768.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Lowy notes that perception of a Chinese threat by competitor nations might result in stringent new regulations mandating such armoring, which would drive up manufacturing and operational costs, indirectly benefitting China.—
Jill Goldenziel,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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But the operational scope of its forces is limited by its U.S.-authored constitution – adopted after its defeat in World War Two – which renounces the right to start war.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Getting treatment For women experiencing pelvic floor muscle tension, pelvic floor physical therapy is often an effective treatment option to reduce pain and prevent muscles from becoming overly tight in the future, Falter said.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
22 Mar. 2025
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The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a statewide ban on all open burning and has cancelled all burning permits effective from 8 a.m. Friday until further notice.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Operative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operative. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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