operational

[ op-uh-rey-shuh-nl ]

/ ˌɒp əˈreɪ ʃə nl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR operational ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

able to function or be used; functional: How soon will the new factory be operational?

Military.

of, relating to, or involved in military operations.
on active service or combat duty: All units of the command are operational.

of or relating to operations or an operation.

Nearby words

operation, operation barbarossa, operation desert storm, operation overlord, operation sealion, operational, operational amplifier, operational calculus, operationalism, operations research, operations room

Origin of operational

First recorded in 1920–25; operation + -al¹

Related forms

op·er·a·tion·al·ly, adverbnon·op·er·a·tion·al, adjectivepre·op·er·a·tion·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for operational

There was virtually no government oversight of safety and operational standards.
Who Will Get AsiaAir 8501’s Black Boxes?|Clive Irving|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the Horn of Africa, the U.S. military has long eschewed the use of drones in favor of manned aircraft for operational reasons.
Why Drones Don’t Cut It in Syria|Robert Caruso|September 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The F-35 was originally intended to be operational with the U.S. Marine Corps by 2010.
America’s $400 Billion Stealth Jet Fleet Is Grounded|Dave Majumdar|June 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We found that even in cases where individuals acted alone, in an operational sense, they were not radicalized in a vacuum.
The Syrian War Comes Home to Europe|Ghaffar Hussain|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

First, at that height the airplane would be way beyond its operational ceiling and uncontrollable.
The Baseless Rush to Blame the Pilots of Flight 370|Clive Irving|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The heads of operational or major tactical commands are also immediately subordinate to the minister.
Area Handbook for Romania|Eugene K. Keefe, Donald W. Bernier, Lyle E. Brenneman, William Giloane, James M. Moore, and Neda A. Walpole
To be sure, we emphasize and demand brilliance as the operational goal.
Shock and Awe|Harlan K. Ullman
The mind of man does not work that way, nor is it consistent with operational realities.
The Armed Forces Officer|U. S. Department of Defense
Intermediate range missiles are now being deployed in operational units.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various
No guided ballistic missiles were operational at the beginning of 1953.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various

British Dictionary definitions for operational

operational

/ (ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənəl) /

adjective

of or relating to an operation or operations

in working order and ready for use

military capable of, needed in, or actually involved in operations

Derived Forms

operationally, adverb

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

operational

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of operational

Related forms

Examples from the Web for operational

British Dictionary definitions for operational

operational

adjective

Derived Forms