Operative
Operative noun - A person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country.
Usage example: CIA operatives take terrible risks to find out the secrets of foreign countries
Spy is a synonym for operative in agent topic. In some cases you can use "Spy" instead a noun "Operative", when it comes to topics like investigate. popular alternative
Spy
Spy noun - A person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country.
Usage example: the government spy risked his life every day in the fight against global terrorism
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Synonyms for Spy
Operative is a synonym for spy in person topic. You can use "Operative" instead a noun "Spy", if it concerns topics such as investigate. popular alternative
Nearby Word: spying
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
Both words in one sentence
- Be All My Sins Remembered: In the novel All My Sins Remembered, the hero is a spy/operative for the galactic government.
Source: Creator / Joe Haldeman - The hero is a spy/operative for the galactic government.
Source: Be All My Sins Remembered - A foreign spy mistakes her for another operative, and gives her a secret file hidden in a stuffed animal.
Source: Spy Speak
Cite this Source
Spy and Operative. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/operative/spy
Operative & Spy. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/operative/spy>.
Spy or Operative. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/operative/spy.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "operative" and "spy" have occurred on timeline