active

[ ak-tiv ]

/ ˈæk tɪv /

See synonyms for: active / actively / activeness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

engaged in action; characterized by energetic work, participation, etc.; busy: an active life.

being in a state of existence, progress, or motion: active hostilities.

involving physical effort and action: active sports.

having the power of quick motion; nimble: active as a gazelle.

characterized by action, motion, volume, use, participation, etc.: an active market in wheat; an active list of subscribers.

causing activity or change; capable of exerting influence (opposed to passive): active treason.

effective (opposed to inert): active ingredients.

Grammar. noting or pertaining to a voice of verbal inflection in which typically the subject of the sentence is represented as performing the action expressed by the verb (opposed to passive): Writes in He writes a letter every day is an active verb form.

requiring or giving rise to action; practical: an active course.

(of a volcano) in eruption.

Accounting. profitable; busy: active accounts.

requiring personal effort or attention; not automatic: an active alarm system.

interest-bearing: active paper.

Medicine/Medical. acting quickly; producing immediate effects: active remedies.

Sociology. (of a crowd) engaging in purposeful activity, often of a militant nature.Compare expressive (def. 4).

Aerospace. able to transmit signals: an active communications satellite.

Electronics. (of a device or system) acting as a source of electrical energy, as a generator, or capable of amplifying or converting voltages or currents, as a transistor or diode.

(of a solar heating system) accumulating and distributing solar heat by mechanical means.

Military. serving on active duty.

noun

Grammar.

the active voice.
a form or construction in the active voice.

an active person, member, subscriber, etc.: The circular was mailed only to the actives on our list.

Informal. something showing considerable action or activity: On the stock market there was heavy trading in the actives.

SYNONYMS FOR active

1 acting; working; operative.

4 agile, sprightly.

See synonyms for active on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR active

1 lazy.

5 sluggish.

See antonyms for active on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

PREPARE FOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH THIS 9TH GRADE VOCAB QUIZ

Is your kid ready for high school? Let them take this teacher-created 9th grade practice test to see if their vocab makes the grade.

Question 1 of 10

asset

expert skill or knowledge; expertness; know-how.

a useful and desirable thing or quality.

any covering, coating, enclosure, etc.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of active

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin āctīvus; replacing Middle English actif, from Middle French, from Latin; see act, -ive

synonym study for active

3. Active, energetic, strenuous, vigorous imply a liveliness and briskness in accomplishing something. Active suggests quickness and diligence as opposed to laziness or dilatory methods: an active and useful person. Energetic suggests forceful and intense, sometimes nervous, activity: conducting an energetic campaign. Strenuous implies arduous and zealous activity with a sense of urgency: a strenuous effort. Vigorous suggests strong, effective activity: using vigorous measures to accomplish an end.

OTHER WORDS FROM active

ac·tive·ly, adverbac·tive·ness, nounnon·ac·tive, adjective, nounpre·ac·tive, adjective

pre·ac·tive·ly, adverbpre·ac·tive·ness, nounquasi-active, adjectivequa·si-ac·tive·ly, adverbsem·i·ac·tive, adjectivesem·i·ac·tive·ly, adverbsem·i·ac·tive·ness, nounsu·per·ac·tive, adjectivesu·per·ac·tive·ly, adverbsu·per·ac·tive·ness, noun

Words nearby active

activated resin, activated sludge, activation analysis, activation energy, activator, active, active anaphylaxis, active centre, active chronic hepatitis, active congestion, active duty

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for active

Unlike molecular and antigen diagnostic tests, the FDA warned that blood-based antibody tests were not intended to diagnose an active infection but rather reveal if someone previously had the virus.
The COVID-19 Charmer: How a Self-Described Felon Convinced Elected Officials to Try to Help Him Profit From the Pandemic|by Vianna Davila, Jeremy Schwartz and Lexi Churchill|September 25, 2020|ProPublica
To ensure you’re getting those steps in and staying active this fall, there are a few essential items you might need to elevate your home or gym workout routine.
5 Fitness Products For Your Workout Routine This Fall|Jasmine Grant|September 25, 2020|Essence.com
Opposition groups with links to politically active churches — who were blamed for the recent virus resurgence — are planning a series of mass protests in the capital over the coming weeks.
South Korea’s Religious Right Torpedoes the Fight Against COVID-19|Fiona Zublin|September 24, 2020|Ozy
In 2018, Damer set up shop at an active geothermal area in New Zealand, named along the usual theme — Hells Gate — to test that hypothesis.
Life on Earth may have begun in hostile hot springs|Jack J. Lee|September 24, 2020|Science News

An initial handful of fine-dining partners has climbed to over 100 active and pledged members.
This restaurant duo want a zero-carbon food system. Can it happen?|Bobbie Johnson|September 24, 2020|MIT Technology Review
“The United States had gone to war declaring it must destroy an active weapons of mass destruction program,” the Times reported.
Political Memes That Absolutely Must Die in 2015|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Almost immediately, another group active at the protests called the Justice League snitches.
De Blasio and the New York City Protesters Have No Blood on Their Hands|Jacob Siegel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Along the river, crumbling remnants of an active trading hub are overtaken by nature.
The Congo's Forgotten Colonial Getaway|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But, under the hawkish eye of the media and through a heavily active social media presence, she carried on as usual.
Nicki Minaj Bares Her Own Vulnerability on ‘The Pinkprint’|Rawiya Kameir|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Female members have been involved in the carnage for the past two years, but never in such an active role.
The New Face of Boko Haram’s Terror: Teen Girls|Nina Strochlic|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We must have motif first, then technique to adapt and adjust expression and to develop facility in the active agents.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
With the announcement of the thirty-six directors, it was possible to proceed to the active opening of the institutions.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
He became one of the assistants of Mr. Wesley, and was active in the service of the church.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
The opposite of these two methods of rote learning is my method, which injects an active process between each pair of words.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
He continued active till his 35th year, when he began to decline, and died of water in the chest.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for active

active

/ (ˈæktɪv) /

adjective

in a state of action; moving, working, or doing something

busy or involvedan active life

physically energetic

exerting influence; effectivean active ingredient

grammar

denoting a voice of verbs used to indicate that the subject of a sentence is performing the action or causing the event or process described by the verb, as kicked in The boy kicked the footballCompare passive (def. 5)
another word for nonstative

being fully engaged in military service (esp in the phrase on active service)

(of a volcano) erupting periodically; not extinctCompare dormant (def. 3), extinct (def. 3)

astronomy (of the sun) exhibiting a large number of sunspots, solar flares, etc, and a marked variation in intensity and frequency of radio emissionCompare quiet (def. 8)

commerce

producing or being used to produce profit, esp in the form of interestactive balances
of or denoting stocks or shares that have been actively bought and sold as recorded in the Official List of the London Stock Exchange

electronics

containing a source of poweran active network
capable of amplifying a signal or controlling some functionan active component; an active communication satellite

noun

grammar

the active voice
an active verb

mainly US a member of an organization who participates in its activities

Derived forms of active

actively, adverbactiveness, noun

Word Origin for active

C14: from Latin āctīvus. See act, -ive

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

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WORD OF THE DAY

active

adjective

noun

SYNONYMS FOR active

ANTONYMS FOR active

QUIZZES

PREPARE FOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH THIS 9TH GRADE VOCAB QUIZ

Origin of active

synonym study for active

OTHER WORDS FROM active

Words nearby active

Example sentences from the Web for active

British Dictionary definitions for active

adjective

noun

Derived forms of active

Word Origin for active

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

active

adjective

noun

SYNONYMS FOR active

ANTONYMS FOR active

QUIZZES

PREPARE FOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH THIS 9TH GRADE VOCAB QUIZ

Origin of active

synonym study for active

OTHER WORDS FROM active

Words nearby active

Words related to active

Example sentences from the Web for active

British Dictionary definitions for active

adjective

noun

Derived forms of active

Word Origin for active