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Prepositions after adjectives

operative in, for, with, on or at?

Operative can mean effective, working, or relating to surgery. Different prepositions are used in different contexts.

Quick answer

How to use operative with prepositions

Operative in is common for areas or situations where something has effect. Operative on appears in medical contexts. Other prepositions such as for, with, and at usually keep their normal meanings in the sentence.

The rule is still operative in several states.
The surgeon operated operative on the patient.
These measures are operative for emergency cases only.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
operative in + area/context

Showing where a rule or factor applies

Use in when something is effective or active within a field or place.

The law remains operative in rural districts.
The policy is operative in all branches.
2
operative for + purpose/group

Limiting use or effect

For can introduce the purpose or people affected.

The discount is operative for members only.
The safety rule is operative for night shifts.
3
operative with + tool/system

Working together with something

With keeps its regular meaning of association or use.

The device is fully operative with older software.
The mechanism remains operative with manual controls.
4
operative on + patient/target

Medical use with surgery

In medical English, operative on relates to surgery performed on someone.

The team became operative on the injured athlete.
Specialists were operative on several patients overnight.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
operative in
The agreement is operative in both countries.
Shows where something has effect.
operative for
The rule is operative for temporary staff.
Shows purpose or affected group.
operative with
The software is operative with current devices.
Shows compatibility or association.
operative on
The surgeons were operative on the patient.
A medical or surgical use.
operative at
The system is operative at low temperatures.
At introduces a condition or level, not a fixed pairing.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using operative on outside medical contexts

Operative on is mainly surgical or medical.

✕ The policy is operative on schools. ✓ The policy is operative in schools.

Confusing operative in and operative for

In refers to where something applies; for refers to purpose or group.

✕ The rule is operative for this region. ✓ The rule is operative in this region.

Using at as if it were a standard partner

At usually introduces conditions, times, or levels.

✓ The machine is operative at high pressure.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The regulation is still ___ several provinces.
2. The software is fully ___ current hardware.
3. The surgeons were ___ the patient for six hours.

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Frequently asked questions

What does operative mean in legal English?

It often means effective, active, or currently in force.

Is operative on common outside medicine?

No. It is mainly used in surgical contexts.

Can operative be followed by at?

Yes, but at usually introduces a condition or level rather than forming a fixed phrase.

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