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operative

operative

201 7.3
A person who works as a secret agent or detective
  • noun
  • /ˈɑːpərətɪv/
translation icon : agente de inteligencia
  • The agency recruited her as an operative to gather intelligence on enemy movements.
  • intelligence operatives
  • a CIA operative
  • U.S. intelligence operatives

My character is ACIA operative, and she's one of the best.

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Examples

Synonyms

detective
vsoperative
2.7

A police officer who investigates crimes and finds out what happened

is not limited to crime investigation and includes intelligence roles
agent
vsoperative
  • Formal
2.8

A person who helps and represents someone in business, legal, or official matters

is focused specifically on government investigative and covert work
investigator
vsoperative
756 3.4

A police officer who looks into crimes to find evidence

is broader, covering covert and state intelligence activities
spy
vsoperative
623 2.9

A person who secretly collects information for a government or company

is the general label for various secret or visible government operatives
federal agent
vsoperative
104 3.5

A person who works for the country's government to enforce laws and investigate crimes

is a wider term that includes non-law enforcement government operatives
private investigator
vsoperative
64 3.7

A person hired to find facts about crimes or private matters who is not a police officer

covers official government detectives, agents, and spies rather than hired investigators
special agent
vsoperative
  • US
37 3.5

A person allowed by law to do one specific task they are told to do

is broader, covering many roles beyond task-limited missions
intelligence officer
vsoperative
  • Specialized
33 3.7

A person who works for the government to collect and report secret information about threats to the country

is broader, covering any government detective, agent, or spy role
private detective
vsoperative
30 3.4

A person who is not a police officer and is paid to investigate crimes

is focused on roles employed directly by the state for security or spying
secret agent
vsoperative
27 3.4

A person who gathers hidden information for a government about enemies

is wider, applying to many government investigative or covert roles
undercover agent
vsoperative
18 4.1

A person who works secretly for the police to gather information while hiding who they are

is more general, including both covert and overt government roles
government agent
vsoperative
16 3.7

A person who works for the government and acts for it

is more specific to covert or investigative government work
intelligence agent
vsoperative
  • Specialized
13 3.0

A person who secretly works for a government to get information about the country's safety

is a more general term for various government covert operatives
PI
vsoperative
13 3.7

A person hired to find missing people or information

usually refers to government-employed investigative or covert personnel
espionage agent
vsoperative
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A person who secretly gets information for another country or company

is less specific, covering both spying and other government investigative work

Compounds

operative field
  • Specialized
1 6.7

The area of the body exposed and prepared for surgery

A country in northeastern South America that became independent from the United Kingdom in 1966

How Covert

spy
623 2.9
secret agent
27 3.4
operative
201 7.3
informant
165 5.6
intelligence officer
  • Specialized
33 3.7

Surface Forms

operative singular
operatives plural

Etymology

Operative comes from the Latin root oper meaning 'work', the same root as operate and operator. It came to mean 'a person who carries out an operation', often a secret mission, so an operative is someone who works undercover.