Meanings
- Activated; functional; functioning; operating; working.
The free market is still in operation, and the number fed from it increases weekly.
December 31, 1861, "UNITED STATES STEAMER R.R. COYLER, OFF FORT PICKENS", published in The New York Times in 18621 more example
When the engine is in operation, the farther this lever is moved downward toward the driver (referring to as "opening the throttle") the faster the engine runs and the greater the power furnished.
1919, For Motor Company, Ford Manual/The Car and Its OperationSynonyms: in place
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseActivated; functional; functioning; operating; working.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivebeing in effect or operation
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Catalan en operació
- en operacióoperating
French en opération
- en opérationoperating
Hungarian működésben/üzemben van, működésbe hoz
- működésben/üzemben vanoperating
- működésbe hozoperating
- működikoperating
- üzemeloperating
Irish i bhfeidhm
- i bhfeidhmoperating
Italian in operazione
- in operazioneoperating
Japanese 作動中
- 作動中 (sadō-chū)operating
Polish działający
- działającyoperating
Portuguese em operação
- em operaçãooperating
Romanian în operație
- în operațieoperating
Spanish en operación
- en operaciónoperating
Cite this entry
in operation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20operation
“in operation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20operation. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in operation,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20operation.
Source: in operation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.