operative

American  

[op-er-uh-tiv, op-ruh-tiv, op-uh-rey-tiv] / ˈɒp ər ə tɪv, ˈɒp rə tɪv, ˈɒp əˌreɪ tɪv /

noun

operatives plural

1. a person engaged, employed, or skilled in some branch of work, especially productive or industrial work; worker.

   Synonyms:

   workman

2. a detective.

   Synonyms:

   agent, investigator

3. a secret agent; spy.

---

adjective

1. operating, or exerting force, power, or influence.

2. having force; being in effect or operation.

   laws operative in this city.

3. effective or efficacious.

   Synonyms:

   serviceable, effectual

4. engaged in, concerned with, or pertaining to work or productive activity.

5. significant; key.

   The operative word in that sentence is “sometimes.”

6. Medicine/Medical. concerned with, involving, or pertaining to surgical operations.

operative British  

/ ˈɒpərətɪv /

adjective

1. in force, effect, or operation

2. exerting force or influence

3. producing a desired effect; significant

   the operative word

4. of or relating to a surgical procedure

---

noun

1. a worker, esp one with a special skill

2. a private detective

Usage

What does operative mean? An operative is a person who is employed in or is skilled in a certain branch of work. Operative is generally used to mean a worker, but in some industries, an operative is specifically a representative or a manager. In the fields of espionage and tactics, an operative is almost always a spy or agent working secretly for an organization. Operative also means detective when used in reference to the police force or private investigation teams. As an adjective, operative often means exerting power or influence. Something that is operative is binding or in effect, such as operative laws or an operative organization that establishes rules. In medicine, operative describes something related to a surgical operation. Operative pain, for example, is pain that occurs from having an operation. Example: A public relations operative informed us that there is an emerging crisis.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interoperative
  noun
• operativeness
  noun
• operativity
  noun
• nonoperative
  adjective
• unoperative
  adjective
• operatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• operatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of operative

1590–1600; < Middle French operatif < Latin operāt ( us ) ( see operate) + Middle French -if -ive

Explanation

Bond, James Bond, is perhaps the most famous fictional operative of our time. Martini-drinking, globe-trotting, and womanizing aside, let us not forget his primary role as a government secret agent — collecting intelligence and bringing down the world's enemies. As a noun, operative is often used as a synonym for spy. It can also, less covertly, be used to name a skilled worker, as in "No one aligns gears better than Joe, an operative at the car factory." As an adjective, operative can mean that something is working, as in "an operative car alarm." Finally, operative can mean "the most important or effective word." James Bond is a fictional operative, and the operative word in that statement is fictional.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

operative operatives

Burns helped burnish Gannon’s credentials, personally telling the prince that the operative was the American in the room as Israel negotiated with Hamas to release its hostages in the aftermath of the Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

He plays Martian, a veteran CIA operative whose years undercover have left their mark.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

Moment of Truth’s leadership includes Waters, a veteran GOP operative who worked on the presidential campaigns of Republicans George H.W.

From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2026

“It’s certainly preferable to give all Americans the choice to invest in fast-growing tech companies, but choice is the operative word.”

From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2026

“The operative words here are ‘past few days.’

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

He said he had no contact with Peltola’s campaign — “zero, none, zilch” — and denied anyone from the state Democratic Party or any national Democratic operatives had contacted him to run.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

The joint statement said the ceasefire was "contingent on a complete cessation" of fire by Hezbollah as well as evacuation of the group's operatives from southern Lebanon.

From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026

Australia and New Zealand, alleged that Chinese military intelligence operatives were posing as employees of private consultancies, think tanks and human-resources firms looking to hire foreign-policy or defense analysts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Setting up in Cairo in May 1943, Young’s brief was to cultivate local spy networks; gather intelligence; insert agents and operatives in Greece to guide the commandos; sabotage enemy infrastructure; and prepare for D-Day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

From New York to Virginia, American intelligence operatives like Armistead were bewildering the British.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Related Words

• operational
• usable