active
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.doing a lot of things and moving around often.
adj.characterised by energetic movement or constant engagement in physical or social activities.
Simple“Even at eighty years old, my grandfather remains very active and walks every morning.”
In context“The community centre offers various programmes designed to keep senior citizens socially and physically active throughout their retirement.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.functioning or in use right now.
adj.currently operational, in force, or functioning as intended.
Simple“Is your account still active, or did you close it last month?”
In context“The volcano is still considered active, although it has not produced a major eruption for several decades.”
Synonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
adj.a type of sentence where the person or thing doing the action is the subject.
adj.relating to the voice of a verb where the subject is the doer of the action.
Simple“In the sentence 'The cat chased the mouse,' the verb is in the active voice.”
In context“The editor advised the author to use the active voice to make the narrative more direct and engaging for the reader.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun 'voice' or used to describe a specific verb form.
Antonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.taking a lead or busy part in a specific group or activity.
adj.participating effectively or having a practical effect in a specific context.
Simple“She takes an active role in the school's parent-teacher association.”
In context“The government must take an active interest in renewable energy if it hopes to meet its climate targets by the end of the decade.”
Antonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
adj.a term used to describe the partner who takes the leading or penetrating role during sex.
adj.denoting the partner who performs penetration during sexual intercourse.
Simple“He described himself as active when talking about his dating preferences.”
In context“The survey included questions about sexual health for men who take an active role in same-sex relationships.”
Teacher's tipThis term is common in LGBTQ+ contexts; learners should be aware it is informal and specifically refers to sexual roles.
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a part of a machine or circuit that can change or control electricity.
n.a circuit component, such as a transistor, capable of controlling voltages or currents to produce gain.
Simple“The engineer replaced the active components on the circuit board to fix the signal.”
In context“Active devices require an external power source to operate, unlike resistors or capacitors which are purely passive.”
Antonyms
Usage active fires · active galactic · active participants
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active From Middle English actyf, from Old French actif, from Latin āctīv(us), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. By surface analysis, act + -ive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.