OPERATION Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

operation

noun

ˌä-pə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of operation

as in mission

a specific task with which a person or group is charged a secret operation which, if it is discovered, the government will deny any knowledge of

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Relevance

as in process

a usually fixed or ordered series of actions or events leading to a result a specific mathematical operation is required in order to get the correct answer

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as in management

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something given the constant threat of robbery, the operation of a convenience store can be quite stressful

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as in use

the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose a considerable amount of training is required for the operation of these new high-tech weapons systems

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of operation With brothers Albert overseeing design and Peter handling the financial side of the business, global CEO Melissa Beste—who knows the brand and the industry inside-out—has been managing day-to-day operations for the last nine years. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The additions of Sparling and Keller are part of Scorability’s investment across its engineering, operations and customer success teams. — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The yen had been near a four-decade low of around 164 per dollar last week before the first joint yen-buying operation from Japan and the US since 1998. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Even a brief loss of vision can create serious risks during aerial refueling, low-altitude flight, formation operations, or landing. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for operation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for operation

Noun

From long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station to helping prepare the Artemis generation, his contributions have helped position NASA for what comes next.

— Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
On January 29, 2025, 67 people died when an Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission and American Airlines regional jet landing at the airport collided over the Potomac River.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of mission

Noun

Then, the entire Soviet Union disintegrated, with all 15 republics breaking away, but in a peaceful process that Gorbachev hoped would lead to the creation of new democracies across Europe and Asia.

— Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
During a californium-252 separation campaign in 2015, Delmau considered whether a different solvent extraction technique could eliminate a lengthy step in the process.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of process

Noun

Political scientist Sandra Borda argued that the difficulties in aid management are related to the tense political transition between the current and previous administrations, which lacked a formal handover.

— Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Conventional time-management advice, Schore argues, focuses almost exclusively on visible behaviors—meetings, email volume, scheduling techniques and collaboration practices.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of management

Noun

Two people were arrested, but charges were dropped pending the outcome of the internal review after complaints about the use of force.

— Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Despite trust provisions, the court found the Kittrells were contingent beneficiaries due to their son's powers to benefit them and their continued personal use and control of trust assets.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of use

Noun

The current four-week running average for claims is the lowest since 2022 — the height of the post-pandemic job boom.

— Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Gary hasn’t been tremendously present around the Raiders since Klint got the job — this was his first public appearance at a practice.

— Sam Warren, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of job

Noun

Midwives are medically trained to perform many of the same functions and procedures as doctors when women are having babies in low-risk situations.

— Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
The Constitution specifically says that the state should determine the time and date and procedure of elections.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of procedure

Noun

But the recording itself — which happened in eerie circumstances and nearly destroyed one of the trumpets — also underlines how our handling of antiquities has evolved dramatically in the intervening decades.

— Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
In addition, produce is distributed through a complex supply chain, and these foods can become contaminated during irrigation, manufacturing, transportation and handling at a restaurant or at home.

— Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of handling

Noun

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
The parasites have performed well under lab conditions but transitions to practical application must be handled with extreme care.

— Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of application

Browse Nearby Words

operating

operation

operational

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Operation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operation. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of operation

noun

Example Sentences

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