operatives
word · lemma: operative
Definition
‘Operatives’ can mean people who work for an organization, especially in secret or dangerous roles (like spies or agents), or workers who operate machinery in a factory or similar environment.
Usage & Nuances
In English, 'operatives' can refer to secret agents in security contexts or manual/factory workers. In news, spy stories, 'operatives' usually means spies or agents. In industry, it means machine or factory workers. Plural is almost always used unless talking about a single person.
Example Sentences
The company hired new operatives for the night shift.
basic
Police caught two undercover operatives.
basic
All operatives must wear safety helmets in the factory.
basic
The intelligence agency sent their best operatives overseas.
natural
There are dozens of factory operatives working on this project.
natural
Rumor has it some operatives hacked the company’s servers.
natural