op
5 synonyms for op, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — Informal term meaning to promote someone to administrator or operator status in an online chat or game.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
make an operator
grant admin rights
give operator status
Etymology
Shortened from "operator" (chat/game sense) or from "op shop," short for "opportunity shop," a charity secondhand store.
Full origin of op →Frequently asked questions
What does “op” mean?
The word “op” means informal term meaning to promote someone to administrator or operator status in an online chat or game. In plain terms, to grant someone admin rights online, or (regionally) to shop at a charity/thrift store.
How do you pronounce “op”?
“Op” is pronounced op (/ɑp/ in IPA).
How do you use “op” in a sentence?
Here is “op” used in a sentence: “The moderators opped him after he'd helped run the server for months.”
What part of speech is “op”?
“Op” is a verb.
Is “op” a common word?
“Op” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “op” have?
“Op” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal term meaning to promote someone to administrator or operator status in an online chat or game.
Where does the term op come from?
Op is short for operator and dates back to early internet relay chat, or IRC, where a channel operator held special powers such as kicking or banning users. To op someone meant to grant them that status. The term carried over into gaming and other chat platforms, where admins are still called ops.
What is the opposite of op?
The opposite is deop, meaning to remove someone's operator or administrator status and return them to an ordinary user. If a moderator misbehaves, an admin might deop them to strip their powers. The pair op and deop remain common shorthand in chat rooms, gaming servers, and similar online communities.
Is op formal or informal?
Op is informal slang used within online chat, gaming, and community platforms. You would not find it in a business email or formal document, but it is instantly understood among people who moderate or play in these spaces. It works as both a verb, to op, and a noun, an op.
What is an example of using op?
A server owner might say, I'll op you so you can manage the channel, meaning they will grant operator powers. Someone might also ask, can you op me? to request admin rights. The word always involves handing another person control or moderation abilities in an online space.
Related words
co-op
coin-op
job op
op-amp
photo op
