operate
verb (used without object)
to work, perform, or function, as a machine does.
operated
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past participleof operate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof operate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
operateverb (used without object)to work, perform, or function, as a machine does.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Both countries rely on various methods to notify the public of potential threats, from street sirens to digital channels operated by the military or local officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
This suggests that the processes responsible for creating planetesimals may have operated in much the same way across different environments.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
Conducting romance, cryptocurrency and investment fraud, the sites were mostly operated by Chinese nationals, 148 of whom have been extradited to China, Madagascar's justice ministry said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
One of the aircraft was operated by Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight training school based at the McMinnville Municipal Airport, according to a statement from the company.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
A functional circuit of genes was switched on and off, as if operated by a common spool or a master switch.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
