| Noun | 1. | active - chemical agent capable of activity chemical agent - an agent that produces chemical reactions |
| 2. | active - 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" voice - (linguistics) the grammatical relation (active or passive) of the grammatical subject of a verb to the action that the verb denotes | |
| 3. | active - a person who is a participating member of an organization; "the club issues a list of members, both the actives and the retirees" | |
| Adj. | 1. | active - tending to become more severe or wider in scope; "active tuberculosis"pathology - the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases inactive - (pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly |
| 2. | active - engaged in or ready for military or naval operations; "on active duty"; "the platoon is combat-ready"; "review the fighting forces"armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" operational - (military) of or intended for or involved in military operations | |
| 3. | active - 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" | |
| 4. | active - taking part in an activity; "an active member of the club"; "he was politically active"; "the participating organizations"involved - connected by participation or association or use; "we accomplished nothing, simply because of the large number of people involved"; "the problems involved"; "the involved muscles"; "I don't want to get involved"; "everyone involved in the bribery case has been identified" | |
| 5. | active - characterized by energetic activity; "an active toddler"; "active as a gazelle"; "an active man is a man of action"lively - full of life and energy; "a lively discussion"; "lively and attractive parents"; "a lively party" energetic - possessing or exerting or displaying energy; "an energetic fund raiser for the college"; "an energetic group of hikers"; "it caused an energetic chemical reaction" inactive - not active physically or mentally; "illness forced him to live an inactive life"; "dreamy and inactive by nature" | |
| 6. | active - exerting influence or producing a change or effect; "an active ingredient" inactive - not exerting influence or change | |
| 7. | active - full of activity or engaged in continuous activity; "an active seaport"; "an active bond market"; "an active account"inactive - lacking activity; lying idle or unused; "an inactive mine"; "inactive accounts"; "inactive machinery" | |
| 8. | active - in operation; "keep hope alive"; "the tradition was still alive"; "an active tradition" | |
| 9. | active - (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions astronomy, uranology - the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole quiet - of the sun characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sunspots e.g. | |
| 10. | active - expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor: "Hemingway favors active constructions" grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics) passive - expressing that the subject of the sentence is the patient of the action denoted by the verb; "academics seem to favor passive sentences" | |
| 11. | active - (used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')) expressing action rather than a state of being grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics) stative - ( used of verbs (e.g. `be' or `own') and most participial adjectives) expressing existence or a state rather than an action | |
| 12. | active - (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting live - exerting force or containing energy; "live coals"; "tossed a live cigarette out the window"; "got a shock from a live wire"; "live ore is unmined ore"; "a live bomb"; "a live ball is one in play" extinct - (of e.g. volcanos) permanently inactive; "an extinct volcano" | |
| 13. | active - (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt; "active volcanos" | |
| 14. | active - engaged in full-time work; "active duty"; "though past retirement age he is still active in his profession"inactive - not engaged in full-time work; "inactive reserve"; "an inactive member" |