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
- nonoperational adjective
- operationally adverb
- preoperational adjective
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.
It currently has just a few hundred operational satellites, while SpaceX has more than 10,000 and already serves both enterprise customers and the wider public.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
But she said that would depend on "operational reasons with airline slots, crews going out-of-hours etc".
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
That morale and confidence are critical to operational performance.
From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026
However, Meta’s 2025 annual report notes that delays or disruptions to internet infrastructure could lead to increased project costs, operational inefficiencies, or impairment of assets.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
"I soon discovered I had a significant advantage in casing operational sites by not having surveillance," she remarked.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
