Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Engaged in action or activity; not passive or inert: Describes a state of being busy, involved, or energetic.
   • Functioning or in operation: Describes something that is currently working, effective, or capable of producing effects.
   • (Of a volcano) Erupting or having the potential to erupt: In geology, describes a volcano that is not extinct.
   • (Grammar) Relating to or denoting a voice of verbs: In the active voice, the subject of the verb performs the action.
   • (Of a person) Participating or involved: Describes someone who takes part in an activity, organization, or duty.

2. Noun:

   • The active voice: In grammar, the form of a verb where the subject performs the action.
   • A participating member: A person who is an engaged member of an organization.
   • A chemical agent capable of action: A substance that produces a specific effect or activity.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • She leads a very active lifestyle, full of sports and travel.
  • The factory is no longer active; it closed last year.
  • Mount Etna is one of Europe's most active volcanoes.
  • In the sentence 'The cat chased the mouse,' 'chased' is in the active voice.
  • He is an active member of the local community board.

• Noun:

  • In English, the active is often more direct than the passive voice.
  • The club's actives organized the charity event.
  • The active in this detergent helps to break down stains.

Advanced Usage

• "On active duty": Serving full-time in the military.

  • Her brother is on active duty with the navy.

• "Active ingredient": The component in a drug or product that produces its effect.

  • Check the label for the active ingredients in the medicine.

• "Active participant": Someone who is fully involved in an activity.

  • She was an active participant in all the workshop discussions.

Variants and Related Words

• Actively (adverb): In an active manner.

  • The company is actively seeking new investors.

• Activism (noun): The policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.

  • Her activism focuses on environmental protection.

• Activate (verb): To make something active or operative.

  • Please activate your account by clicking the link in the email.

Synonyms

• Energetic: Showing or involving great activity or vitality.
• Operative: Functioning or having effect.
• Dynamic: Characterized by constant change, activity, or progress.
• Involved: Participating in an activity or connected with something.

Antonyms

• Inactive: Not engaging in or involving any or much physical activity.
• Passive: Accepting or allowing what happens without active response or resistance.
• Dormant: Having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period; in a state of rest.

Related Phrases

• Play an active role: To be significantly involved in something.

  • He plays an active role in managing the project.

• Keep active: To maintain a level of physical or mental activity.

  • It's important for retirees to keep active.

• Active and passive: A pair often used to contrast doing something versus having it done to you, especially in grammar (active voice vs. passive voice).

  • The lesson covered the difference between the active and passive voice.

Adjective

1. engaged in full-time work
   • active duty
   • though past retirement age he is still active in his profession
2. (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt
   • active volcanos
3. (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting
4. (used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being
5. expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor: "Hemingway favors active constructions"
6. (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions
7. in operation
   • keep hope alive
   • the tradition was still alive
   • an active tradition
8. full of activity or engaged in continuous activity
   • an active seaport
   • an active bond market
   • an active account
9. exerting influence or producing a change or effect
   • an active ingredient
10. characterized by energetic activity
    • an active toddler
    • active as a gazelle
    • an active man is a man of action
11. taking part in an activity
    • an active member of the club
    • he was politically active
    • the participating organizations
12. 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
13. engaged in or ready for military or naval operations
    • on active duty
    • the platoon is combat-ready
    • review the fighting forces
14. tending to become more severe or wider in scope
    • active tuberculosis

Noun

1. a person who is a participating member of an organization
   • the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees
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
3. chemical agent capable of activity