active
adjective
1. tending to become more severe or wider in scope
- active tuberculosis
Similar word(s): progressive
2. engaged in or ready for military or naval operations
- on active duty
Similar word(s): operational, fighting
3. disposed to take action or effectuate change
- a director who takes an active interest in corporate operations
- an active antagonism
- he was active in drawing attention to their grievances
Similar word(s): activist, activistic, proactive
4. taking part in an activity
- an active member of the club
- he was politically active
Similar word(s): involved, participating
5. characterized by energetic activity
- an active toddler
- active as a gazelle
- an active man is a man of action
Similar word(s): about, astir, acrobatic, athletic, gymnastic, agile, nimble, quick, spry, hot, hyperactive, overactive, sporty, lively, energetic
6. exerting influence or producing a change or effect
- an active ingredient
Similar word(s): activated, counteractive
7. full of activity or engaged in continuous activity
- an active seaport
- an active bond market
- an active account
Similar word(s): brisk, bustling, busy, going, open, springy
8. in operation
- an active tradition
Similar word(s): existent, existing, alive
9. (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions
10. expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor:
- Hemingway favors active constructions
11. (used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being
Similar word(s): dynamic
12. (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting
Similar word(s): alive, live, live
13. (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt
- active volcanos
Similar word(s): eruptive
14. engaged in full-time work
- active duty
- though past retirement age he is still active in his profession
Similar word(s): activated
Sentences with active as an adjective:
- certain active principles; the active powers of the mind
- an active child or animal
- active laws; active hostilities
- an active man of business; active mind; active zeal
- active employment or service active scenes
- an active rather than a speculative statesman
- an active demand for corn
- an active disease; an active remedy
noun
1. chemical agent capable of activity
Definition categories: substance
2. the voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb
- `The boy threw the ball' uses the active voice
Definition categories: link, voice
3. a person who is a participating member of an organization
- the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees
Definition categories: person, individual, mortal, somebody, someone, soul