Operative (Adjective)

Meaning ¹

Relating to or requiring or amenable to treatment by surgery especially as opposed to medicine; "a surgical appendix"; "a surgical procedure"; "operative dentistry".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The doctor decided that the patient's condition was operative and required immediate surgery to correct.
• The hospital's operative unit was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to handle complex procedures.
• The patient was placed under general anesthesia before the operative procedure began.
• The operative time for the surgery was estimated to be around three hours.
• The dentist specialized in operative dentistry and was skilled in performing complex oral surgeries.

Synonyms

• Surgical

Related Words

• Operation (noun)
• Operate (verb)

Meaning ²

Being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The law will become operative as of next January and will be strictly enforced.
• These norms were operative throughout most of human history.
• The general rules and assumptions that have guided society's reactions to sexuality for so long are still operative today.
• Certain international regulations became operative to manage fisheries worldwide.
• Those institutions still operative and fulfilling useful social roles may provide powerful resistances against systemic innovations.

Antonyms

• Inoperative

Meaning ³

(of e.g. a machine) performing or capable of performing; "in running (or working) order"; "a functional set of brakes".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The new computer system is now operative and ready for use by all employees.
• The hospital's surgical team waited for the anesthesia machine to become operative before proceeding with the operation.
• After weeks of repairs, the elevator is finally operative again and can be used by tenants.
• The engineer checked to ensure that all safety features were operative before allowing the factory to resume production.
• The fire department inspected the building's sprinkler system to verify that it was operative and functioning properly.

Synonyms

• Functional
• Running
• Working

Related Words

• Operate (verb)

Meaning ⁴

Effective; producing a desired effect; "the operative word".

Classification

All adjective clusters.

Examples

• The new marketing strategy was operative, resulting in a significant increase in sales.
• The operative principle of the machine was simple, yet effective.
• In this context, the operative word is "immediately", implying a sense of urgency.
• The operative part of the treatment was the medication, which helped to alleviate the symptoms.
• The operative factor in the company's success was its ability to adapt to changing market conditions.