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active

active

1.0
Taking part in things and showing energy
  • adjective
  • /ˈæktɪv/
translation icon : activo
  • Despite his age, he remains active in community affairs.

Examples

  • She leads an active lifestyle by going hiking every weekend.

  • Are you active in any clubs?

  • He keeps an active account for frequent transactions.

  • The active seaport handles hundreds of ships every day.

  • Stay active!

  • Despite his age, he remains active in community affairs.

  • Are you active in any sports or clubs?

Synonyms

lively
vsactive
111 1.3

Having a lot of energy and enthusiasm

emphasises deliberate involvement in activities rather than animated manner
energetic
vsactive
93 1.6

Full of energy and active

emphasises involvement in activities rather than only raw energy
vigorous
vsactive
87 4.1

Having a lot of strength and energy

stresses bodily strength and force rather than simply joining activities
vibrant
vsactive
81 4.1

Full of energy and activity that makes people feel excited

highlights general liveliness rather than taking part in tasks
engaged
vsactive
3.4

Giving full attention to an activity or idea

means general energetic participation rather than only focused attention
occupied
vsactive
1.8

Busy doing something and not free to do other things

refers to taking part rather than merely being busy or unavailable

Antonyms

111 3.9

Not taking action or trying to change what happens

57 2.8

Not working or being used

34 5.2

Not active now but able to become active later

11 2.5

Not being used or working now

Compounds

active site
  • Specialized
1 4.0

A part of an enzyme or antibody where molecules attach and reactions start

active voice
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A sentence where the subject does the action

active agent
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A substance that directly changes how a body or germ works

A person who helps with and joins local community projects like volunteering and neighborhood watch

active power
  • Specialized
1 4.9

Energy in an electrical circuit that does useful work, like turning motors or lighting lamps

active air defense
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A way of protecting an area from enemy planes or missiles using weapons and electronic systems to stop them

active birth
  • Specialized
3.6

Childbirth in which the mother moves and changes position to help labor

active application
  • Specialized
4.3

A computer program that is running and showing on the screen so you can use it

active capital
  • Specialized
4.9

Money or property that can be quickly turned into cash and used in business

active immunity
  • Specialized
3.9

Protection your body makes using antibodies after an infection or vaccine

9.9

A way some fish find objects by making a weak electric field and sensing changes in the field

active placebo
  • Specialized
6.6

A fake treatment that causes side effects like a real drug to keep people in the trial unaware

active matrix screen
  • Specialized
5.1

A screen that uses a small electronic part for each tiny dot to make images sharper and faster

active subwoofer
  • Specialized
5.6

A speaker with a built-in amplifier that makes low bass sounds

active transport
  • Specialized
3.9

To move a substance across a cell membrane from low to high concentration using energy

active transport
  • Specialized
3.5

Travel by walking or cycling for everyday trips

active trust
  • Formal
7.3

A way of holding property where the person in charge must manage it and act for the people who benefit

A treatment for HIV that uses several medicines to lower the amount of virus in the body

surface-active agent
  • Specialized
6.9

A chemical in soaps and detergents that helps water mix with oil

How Active

hyperactive
19 4.6
energetic
93 1.6
active
1.0
passive
111 3.9
inactive
16 3.0

Surface Forms

active positive

Morphology

active = act (transparent) = act + ive

Clear adjectival formation from the verb 'act' with '-ive' meaning 'tending to do' or 'characterized by acting', so learners who know 'act' can infer the sense.

Etymology

Active comes from the root act, from Latin agere which means 'to do' or 'to drive'. You can see the same root in actor and action, so active means 'doing' or taking part rather than staying still.