Operational
What it means
Functioning properly and ready for practical use.
Reach for it when describing a system as functioning and ready for practical use
All three water pumps were operational before the village festival.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional |
|
| formal |
-
playful
up and running
Fits when informal confirmation of live use fits
Careful The idiom lacks test and capacity detail.
-
everyday
functioning
Fits when the system is currently working
Careful Functioning does not prove readiness under full load.
-
everyday
Fits when preparation is complete for the next action
Careful Ready equipment may not yet be switched on.
-
professional
Fits when the service or process is running now
Careful Active can mean enabled without being healthy.
-
professional
commissioned
Fits when formal tests and handover have occurred
Careful Commissioned is a process status, not continuous function.
-
formal
serviceable
Fits when the equipment is adequate for use
Careful Serviceable may mean only minimally acceptable.
Opposites 3
- inoperative
- offline
- nonfunctional
Common phrases 3
-
fully operational
All three water pumps were fully operational by noon.
-
become operational
The backup clinic will become operational after inspection.
-
remain operational
Two radio links remained operational throughout the storm.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Operational should state tested capacity, dependencies, and time; a powered-on system may still be degraded or unsafe.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Back ache, London accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated