operative

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "operative" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone or something that is currently in effect or operation, for example: "This new policy is now operative."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Clinton has been quietly building a ground operation in Iowa, with a number of staff hires in Iowa including Matt Paul, a longtime aide to secretary of agriculture Tom Vilsack, to run Clinton's operation, as well as veteran Iowa operative Brenda Kole as political director and DNC deputy communications director Lily Adams.

The Guardian

If this is not the best Australian team of the past decade or so then it is still a very, very fine one, team being the operative word: they deserve all their success.

The Guardian - Sport

British security services had been aware for some time that a senior al-Qaida operative was in the UK, but did not know who he was.

The Guardian

Second, while Awlaki's death eliminates an important al-Qaida propagandist and recruiter (and also, lately, an operative), it is no cause to relax our global efforts.

The Guardian - Opinion

But it may also have resolved another political conundrum: who is the best Democratic operative in the US?

The Guardian

Related: Lynton Crosby: the man who really won the election for the Tories In contrast, Messina was in the UK with fellow top Tory operative Lynton Crosby, an Australian, monitoring returns, and played a very active role throughout the campaign.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The community supported farm 2. The bike repair co-operative 3. The community garden centre 4. The community forest 5.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"The actions taken by the Australian government are counterproductive and unco-operative," Gusmao said.

The Guardian

Rabobank, set up in the Netherlands in the early 20th century to finance farmers, bills itself as a co-operative bank.

The Guardian - Business

Today, the Cave co-operative has 150 members and produces 90% rosé.

The Guardian

The only sane thing about this intersection is that there's a Co-operative funeral home on the corner.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "operative" as an adjective, ensure clarity by specifying what is "operative". For example, "the operative clause" or "the operative procedure".

Common error

Avoid using "operative" when you mean "operational". "Operative" suggests something is currently in effect or a specific agent, while "operational" describes the state of being ready for or engaged in operations.

Linguistic Context

The word "operative" functions as both an adjective, describing something that is currently in effect or functional, and as a noun, referring to a person who is an agent or worker. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in both forms.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "operative" is correctly used in English as both an adjective and a noun. As Ludwig AI confirms, it can describe something that is currently in effect or functional or refer to a person acting as an agent. While its register is generally neutral to professional, depending on context, it appears most frequently in News & Media and Formal & Business sources. When writing, it's important to distinguish "operative" from "operational" and to specify what aspect is "operative" for clarity. Related phrases include "in effect", "functional", and "active agent". The frequency of use is common with the most authoritative sources being The Guardian and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in effect

Focuses on the active or functional state, similar to the adjective use of "operative".

functional

Emphasizes the working condition or ability to perform a task, akin to "operative" as an adjective.

active agent

Highlights the role of someone carrying out specific actions, relating to the noun sense of "operative".

secret agent

Specifically refers to the spy or intelligence context of "operative".

key factor

Highlights the importance or influence, similar to the adjective use emphasizing relevance.

relevant

Underscores the pertinence or applicability of something, mirroring the 'important' sense of "operative".

working

Describes the state of being in operation or functioning, synonymous with one sense of "operative".

in force

Indicates that something is currently valid or being applied, similar to "operative".

effective

Emphasizes the capacity to produce a desired result, akin to "operative" in its functional sense.

implementer

Focuses on the role of someone who puts plans into action, relating to the 'participant in an operation' sense of "operative".

FAQs

How can I use "operative" in a sentence?

As an adjective, "operative" can describe something that is in effect or functioning, such as, "The "operative word" here is 'usually'." As a noun, it refers to an agent or worker, like in "He was a secret operative."

What's the difference between "operative" and "operational"?

"Operative" refers to something that is currently in effect or an individual agent, whereas "operational" describes something that is ready for use or related to an operation. For example, "The system is now "operational"", not "operative".

What can I say instead of "operative"?

Depending on the context, you could use "functional", "effective", "agent", or "in effect". Choose the word that best fits the specific meaning you intend to convey.

Is it correct to use "operative" to describe a person?

Yes, "operative" can refer to a person, especially in contexts involving secret agents, political campaigns, or specialized tasks. For example, "She's a key "political operative" in the upcoming election".