operatives
Spies and handlers
Operatives is the plural of operative—a person who carries out work, especially skilled or secret work.
The word often implies agents or spies: CIA operatives in the field.
In labor contexts, operatives are skilled workers, particularly in manufacturing.
Political operatives work behind the scenes on campaigns and strategy: party operatives orchestrating the ground game.
Covert information gatherer
- agentOne who acts independently
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
moles · assets · handler · informant · sleeper · infiltration · surveillance · reconnaissance
Paid staff members
- staffOrganization's workers collectively
- workforceAll available workers
- personnelWorkers at an organization
- crewWorking team aboard
laborers · machinists · welders · technicians · mechanics · assemblers · fabricators · blue-collar
Special operations soldier
- paramilitaryUnofficial armed organization
- squadSmall working group
- missionPurpose-driven task
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
combat · insertion · extraction · field · assault · raid · mercenary · contractor
Prescribed sequence of actions
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- anesthesiaInduced loss of feeling
- sterileFree from microorganisms
- theaterVenue for live drama
surgeon · assistant · invasive · intervention · recovery · laparoscopic · endoscopic · outpatient
spy
Covert information gatherer
- agentOne who acts independently
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
clandestine · moles · assets · handler · informant · sleeper · infiltration · surveillance · reconnaissance · counterintelligence
employees
Paid staff members
- staffOrganization's workers collectively
- workforceAll available workers
- personnelWorkers at an organization
crew · laborers · machinists · welders · technicians · mechanics · assemblers · fabricators · blue-collar · manufacturing
commando
Special operations soldier
- paramilitaryUnofficial armed organization
- squadSmall working group
- missionPurpose-driven task
deployment · combat · insertion · extraction · field · assault · raid · mercenary · contractor · briefing
procedure
Prescribed sequence of actions
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- anesthesiaInduced loss of feeling
- sterileFree from microorganisms
theater · surgeon · assistant · invasive · intervention · recovery · laparoscopic · endoscopic · outpatient · scheduled
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- personnelemployee, worker, team member, managers, supervisors
- resistanceresistance, defiance, resistance fighters, civil resistance, resist
- national securityCIA, FBI, NSA, Pentagon, DHS
- secret policeStasi, KGB, Gestapo, NKVD, Cheka
- power playerspower brokers, insiders, dealmakers, influencers, kingmakers
operativesanalysts
Those who dissect data
desk jockeys · bureaucrats · administrators · handlers · headquarters staff
operativespublic officials
Government position holders
diplomats · spokespeople · public figures · spokespersons · press secretaries
operativeshandlers
Those who manage or control
controllers · case officers · commanders · directors · principals
- operative wordCrucial term in statement
- undercover operativeConcealed agent gathering intelligence
- covert operativeHidden intelligence agent
- shadow operativeCovert agent working unofficially
- post-operative careMedical support after surgery
cooperative, operative, inoperative, postoperative, preoperative, nonoperative