operative
Americannoun
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a person engaged, employed, or skilled in some branch of work, especially productive or industrial work; worker.
- Synonyms:
- workman
-
a detective.
- Synonyms:
- agent, investigator
-
a secret agent; spy.
adjective
-
operating, operating, or exerting force, power, or influence.
-
having force; being in effect or operation.
laws operative in this city.
-
effective or efficacious.
- Synonyms:
- serviceable, effectual
-
engaged in, concerned with, or pertaining to work or productive activity.
-
significant; key.
The operative word in that sentence is “sometimes.”
-
Medicine/Medical. concerned with, involving, or pertaining to surgical operations.
adjective
-
in force, effect, or operation
-
exerting force or influence
-
producing a desired effect; significant
the operative word
-
of or relating to a surgical procedure
noun
-
a worker, esp one with a special skill
-
a private detective
Usage
What does operative mean? An operative is a person who is employed in or is skilled in a certain branch of work.Operative is generally used to mean a worker, but in some industries, an operative is specifically a representative or a manager.In the fields of espionage and tactics, an operative is almost always a spy or agent working secretly for an organization.Operative also means detective when used in reference to the police force or private investigation teams.As an adjective, operative often means exerting power or influence. Something that is operative is binding or in effect, such as operative laws or an operative organization that establishes rules.In medicine, operative describes something related to a surgical operation. Operative pain, for example, is pain that occurs from having an operation.Example: A public relations operative informed us that there is an emerging crisis.
Other Word Forms
- interoperative noun
- nonoperative adjective
- operatively adverb
- operativeness noun
- operativity noun
- unoperative adjective
Etymology
Origin of operative
1590–1600; < Middle French operatif < Latin operāt ( us ) ( operate ) + Middle French -if -ive
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.
The investigation centered on Swalwell’s ties to a suspected intelligence operative, Christine Fang, or Fang Fang, who worked as a volunteer raising money for his congressional campaign.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026
Now he’s President, and history and the world want to know if that boast is still operative.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
A possible hint of this came again from Hegseth who praised an intelligence operative he saw in action.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
One zoomer Republican operative in Washington was befuddled at how Butterworth’s had become such a destination: “A bunch of conservatives just decided it would be our place and I don’t understand why.”
From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026
When the operative told her that he was looking to buy a house in the vicinity, she mentioned that William Hale “controlled everything” in these parts.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
