active

Plural: actives

Noun

• A person who is a participating member of an organization.
• chemical agent capable of activity
• 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"
• a person who is a participating member of an organization
  • "the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees"
• A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.
• Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).

Adjective

• tending to become more severe or wider in scope
  • "active tuberculosis"
• 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"
• characterized by energetic activity
  • "an active toddler"
  • "active as a gazelle"
  • "an active man is a man of action"
• exerting influence or producing a change or effect
  • "an active ingredient"
• full of activity or engaged in continuous activity
  • "an active seaport"
  • "an active bond market"
  • "an active account"
• (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions
• expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor:
  • "Hemingway favors active constructions"
• (used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being
• (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting
• (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt
  • "active volcanos"
• engaged in full-time work
  • "active duty"
  • "though past retirement age he is still active in his profession"

Adjective Satellite

• engaged in or ready for military or naval operations
  • "on active duty"
• taking part in an activity
  • "an active member of the club"
  • "he was politically active"
• in operation
  • "an active tradition"

Adj

• Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
• Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
• In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
• In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
• Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors.
• Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy
• Requiring or implying action or exertion
• Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative
• Brisk; lively.
• Implying or producing rapid action.
• About verbs.
• Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
• About verbs.
• Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
• About verbs.
• Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
• Eligible to be processed by a compiler or interpreter.
• Not passive.
• (of a homosexual man) enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.

Examples

• active employment or service
• active hostilities
• active laws
• active mind
• active scenes
• active zeal
• an active child or animal
• an active demand for corn
• an active disease
• an active man of business
• an active rather than a speculative statesman
• an active remedy
• certain active principles
• He was an active in the local Scrabble club, attending every single meeting.
• the active powers of the mind

Synonyms

active agent, active voice, alive, combat-ready, dynamic, fighting, participating, abuzz, acting, agile, airy, animate, animated, brisk, busy, busy as a bee, buxom, buzzing, deedful, diligent, driven, driving, eager, effervescent, energetic, enthusiastic, expeditious, frisky, gay, glowing, happy, hearty, impetuous, in action, in force, industrious, keen, kinetic, lively, merry, mobile, motivated, moving, nimble, operative, peppy, perky, restive, snappy, spirited, sprightly, sprunt, spry, top, vibrant, vigorous, vivacious, vivid, working, zealous, zestful, zippy

Antonyms

dormant, extinct, inactive, passive, passive voice, quiet, stative, bottom, dull, indolent, inert, nondriven, quiescent, restful, sedentary, sleeping, slow, sluggish, speculative, still, theoretical, tranquil

Related Words

act, proactive, versatile, young

Anagrams of active