operational
Americanadjective
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able to function or be used; functional.
How soon will the new factory be operational?
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Military.
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of, relating to, or involved in military operations.
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on active service or combat duty.
All units of the command are operational.
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of or relating to operations or an operation.
adjective
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of or relating to an operation or operations
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in working order and ready for use
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military capable of, needed in, or actually involved in operations
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of operational
Explanation
If something is operational, it’s up and running and ready to go. If you’ve been waiting for a new skating rink to open, you’ll jump for joy when it’s finally operational. When something is operational, it's ready to use or is already in use. Don’t get on an elevator that’s not fully operational unless you like getting stuck. Any gadget being used is operational. If someone calls you and you pick up and talk, then both phones are operational. If the compost bin you’ve been working on is operational, go ahead and throw in the banana peels. Operational things are functional. If your skates are operational, lace up and go!
Vocabulary lists containing operational
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 13
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"CLEP Financial Accounting," Vocabulary from Chapter 14
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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.
Replenishing the core Tier 1 capital of these eight institutions will strengthen their operational stability, risk resilience and capacity to support the real economy, the ministry said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
“That kind of capability directly disrupts the operational advantage these transnational criminal organizations rely on, and it strengthens our ability to protect both Texas communities and the broader region,” he said in an email.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris said the goal was to have "the return hub operational in a country outside the European Union by 2027", adding that discussions were at an "advanced" stage.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
While a large data centre can employ more than a thousand workers during construction, research says that number drops to more like 100 jobs once the centre is operational.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Senior departmental staff invested negligible effort to correct operational deficiencies at the facility.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
