active

AK-tiv/ˈæk.tɪv/

Noun pluralactives

17 meanings of active

1
energeticadjective
Busy and full of energy and always doing things, or full of buying and selling, as a market can be.
Like a bee that never stops moving from flower to flower.
My grandmother is very active for her age, always gardening or walking.
The kids stayed active all day, running between games.
UsageYou can stay active or keep active.
Oppositeinactive, sluggish, idle
2
involvedadjective
Taking part in a group, cause or activity, not just belonging to it or watching.
My aunt is very active in her local church and helps run the food drive.
Only a few members stay active after the first meeting.
UsageSay active in a group: active in the church.
Similarinvolved, engaged
Oppositeinactive, passive
3
adjective
Working or happening right now, still in use or in effect.
Like a machine that is switched on and running.
Your membership is still active, so you can use the gym.
The emergency plan became active as soon as the alarm rang.
Similarworking, operative
Oppositedormant, quiescent, inactive
4
adjective
Able to do something or cause a change, like the part of a medicine that makes it work.
Like a hand that pushes a swing, not the swing that gets pushed.
Sunlight plays an active role in making plants grow.
The active ingredient in this cream is what stops the itching.
UsageOften in active ingredient or active agent.
Note
5
exerciseadjective
Needing effort or physical movement to take part in.
Like a game of tag, where you must keep running.
Swimming is an active sport that uses your whole body.
They chose an active vacation full of hiking and biking.
Oppositesedentary
6
militaryadjective
Working full-time in the army, navy or other armed forces, not in the reserves and not retired.
Her brother is an active soldier stationed overseas.
He left active service last year and now trains with the reserves one weekend a month.
UsageOften said as on active duty.
7
eruptingadjective
Erupting or able to erupt, sending out lava, ash, or steam.
Like a pot on the stove that is still bubbling and steaming.
The mountain is still active and could erupt again.
Tourists are kept far from the active volcano.
Oppositedormant, extinct
Note
8
nouncountable
The part of a skin cream, makeup or medicine that does the work, not the base it is mixed into.
Each active in this face cream has a different job.
Don't use too many strong actives at once, or your skin may turn red.
UsageOften said as actives: the actives in a cream.

Less common meanings

9
noungrammar
The verb form used when the subject does the action, as in 'The dog bit him.'
Our teacher told us to write the story in the active, not the passive.
In the active, the sentence is shorter and easier to read.
UsageUsually in the active, the opposite of in the passive.
Oppositepassive
Note
10
grammar voiceadjective
Describing the verb form where the subject does the action instead of having it done to it.
In an active sentence, the subject does the action.
Teachers often ask students to turn passive sentences into active ones.
UsageSay the active voice; the other kind is passive.
Oppositepassive
Note
11
current membernouncountable
A current member who takes part in a group, especially a college fraternity or sorority, unlike graduates or new pledges.
The new members learn the house rules from the older actives.
Last year she was a pledge; now she is an active in the sorority.
UsageOften said as actives: the members there now.
Similarparticipant
Note
12
signal gainadjective
Describing a circuit part that can supply electrical power or increase a signal's power.
Like a pump that pushes water along, not just a pipe that holds it.
A transistor is an active part because it can boost a signal.
This circuit needs an active component to make the sound louder.
Oppositepassive
Note
13
nouncountable
An electrical part that can add power or boost a signal, not just resist or store it.
Like the engine of a car: it adds power instead of just sitting there.
The amplifier uses several actives to raise the signal.
A transistor counts as an active because it can boost a signal.
Oppositepassive
Note
14
sex roleadjective
Describing a man who prefers the penetrating role in anal sex with another man.
On a gay dating app, he listed himself as active rather than passive.
Some men identify as active rather than passive.
Similartop
Oppositebottom, passive
Note
15
adjective
Describing a verb that shows action rather than just being or staying the same.
'Run' is an active verb, but 'be' is not.
Active verbs make writing feel lively because they show movement.
UsageThis is not the active voice. It is about what the verb means.
Similardynamic
Oppositestative
Note
16
adjective
Describing a verb whose subject acts on something else: a verb that needs an object.
17
adjective
Describing code or input that a compiler or interpreter can process, rather than ignore.

Practice

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Origin

From Latin agere, meaning "to do" or "to act." It came into English through Old French actif.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Active ultimately derives from Latin agere. en.wiktionary.org
Latin agere means “to do” or “to act.” en.wiktionary.org
Active entered English through Old French actif. en.wiktionary.org