operate
verb (used without object)
to work, perform, or function, as a machine does.
had operated
-
past perfectof operate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Josh said he had had an agonising wait while doctors had operated on Maisie.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
The owner of the company, Michael Roth, has said his business had operated for more than 25 years with no problems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Instead, he asserted that because the statute said only that a person could refuse to operate a vehicle and Maddin had operated the vehicle, he wasn’t protected.
From Slate ● May 13, 2026
The lawsuit comes a week after a federal jury in Manhattan found that Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had operated a monopoly over major concert venues, controlling 86% of the concert market.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
So he was back into the old mode by which the Congolese economy had operated for centuries, sticking near the shoreline and punting the pirogue.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
