tactic
noun
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tactic
American
[tak-tik]
/ ˈtæk tɪk /
noun
-
a system or a detail of tactics.
-
a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or result.
adjective
-tactic
1
British
combining form
tactic
2
British
/ ˈtæktɪk /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of tactic
First recorded in 1560–70; New Latin tacticus, from Greek taktikós “fit for arranging or ordering,” from tak-, base of tássein ( Attic táttein ) “to arrange, put in order” + -tikos -tic
Explanation
Tactic is another word for a maneuver or method. If begging doesn't convince your parents to raise your allowance, you might want to try a different tactic—like doing all your chores without being asked. English-speakers have been talking about tactics since at least 1640, when this word was first recorded. A tactic is just a way to do something, a plan, or an approach. Generals have to have a good grasp on military tactics to win a battle; football teams have to use strong defensive tactics to keep the other guys from scoring. One time-tested tactic for winning over a teacher? Always turn your homework in on time!
Vocabulary lists containing tactic
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 9
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Word Generation Social Studies - Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s even a recruiting tactic for hospitals because surgeons have trained on Intuitive machines,” says Vohra.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
This tactic is sometimes called a negative option, meaning that a consumer’s failure to say no to receiving a good or service amounts to consent to being charged for it.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
The local government has proposed an old tactic to keep high-paying guests at the luxury resort from becoming chum: Putting a shark net adjacent to the beach.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
Although Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres has seen out the season in strong form, both Merino, who is fit again after a long absence, and Kai Havertz are players naturally suited to this tactic.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
Conspicuously absent from this list was the NAACP, the country’s dominant civil rights organization since 1909, but still dedicated to the slower tactic of filing legal challenges to segregation.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
