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Meaning & use

active

adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈæk.tɪv/
US/ˈæk.tɪv/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Regularly moving, exercising, participating, or doing things rather than sitting still.

    Grammar: Comparable: more active, most active; describes people, days, or lifestyles.

    Patterns

    • active lifestyle
    • stay active
    • physically active

    An active lifestyle can improve sleep and mood.

    Grandpa stays active by swimming twice a week.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Involved in a group, project, or effort and contributing to it.

    Grammar: Often before nouns like member, role, or participant: an active member.

    Patterns

    • active member
    • active role
    • active participant

    She is an active member of the neighborhood garden club.

    He took an active role in planning the reunion.

  3. adjectivenot comparable

    Currently working, valid, operating, or in use.

    Grammar: Before nouns or after be: an active account, the account is active; do not say more active here.

    Patterns

    • active account
    • active volcano
    • remain active

    The volcano is still active and closely monitored.

    Please keep the account active by signing in once a year.

  4. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    In grammar, describing a verb form whose subject performs the action.

    Grammar: Technical label for verb voice: active voice; opposite passive voice.

    Patterns

    • active voice
    • active sentence
    • in the active

    In the active sentence, the cat chased the mouse.

    Students rewrote the paragraph from passive to active voice.

Word forms

comparativemore active
superlativemost active

Common combinations

stay active
Doctors advise older adults to stay active safely.
active member
Every active member can vote at the meeting.
active voice
The memo sounds clearer in active voice.

Synonyms and how they differ

energetic
Energetic stresses having energy; active stresses doing or participating regularly.
busy
Busy means occupied; active can mean involved or functioning, not just occupied.
operative
Operative is formal and means working, especially machines or rules; active is broader.

Opposites

inactivepassiveidle

Word family

activate verb
To make active or start operation.
activation noun
The act or process of making active.
actively adverb
In an involved or energetic way.
activity noun
Something done or a state of action.
activist noun
A person active in seeking change.

Commonly confused: active or passive? active or actual?

active vs passive

In grammar, active means the subject acts; passive means the subject receives the action.

active vs actual

Actual means real; active means moving, involved, or functioning.

Practice

Which sentence uses active in the grammatical sense?

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