Illustration of tackle
- tackle 2b
1
: a set of the equipment used in a particular activity : gear
fishing tackle
2
a
: a ship's rigging
b
: an assemblage of ropes and pulleys arranged to gain mechanical advantage for hoisting and pulling
3
a
: the act or an instance of tackling
b(1)
: either of two offensive football players positioned on each side of the center and between guard and end
(2)
: either of two football players positioned on the inside of a defensive line
tackled; tackling
ˈta-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to seize, take hold of, or grapple with especially with the intention of stopping or subduing
b
: to seize and throw down or stop (an opposing player with the ball) in football
2
: to set about dealing with
tackle the problem
3
: to attach or secure with or as if with tackle
: to tackle an opposing player in football
Synonyms of tackle
Examples of tackle in a Sentence
Noun
a box for fishing tackle
He made two tackles in the first half.
Verb
The police officer tackled him as he tried to escape.
He was tackled at the line of scrimmage.
I'll tackle my homework later.
We found new ways to tackle the problem.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
With free agency losses and no first-round pick, the Packers hope third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan can bolster their struggling defense.
—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
S.e. Jenkins,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
Meanwhile, numerous new wildfires erupted last weekend, with three firefighters killed tackling fires on the Colorado-Utah border.
—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tackle
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The Cowboys chose the wrong D-tackle to deal, as Odighizuwa is younger and makes less than Clark, plus is arguably better than the veteran at this stage of their respective careers.
—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
With free agency losses and no first-round pick, the Packers hope third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan can bolster their struggling defense.
—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Verb
Deputies caught up with the suspect and tackled him in the parking lot of a McDonald's.
—
S.e. Jenkins,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
Meanwhile, numerous new wildfires erupted last weekend, with three firefighters killed tackling fires on the Colorado-Utah border.
—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tackle
Cite this Entry
“Tackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tackle. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: a set of special equipment : gear
fishing tackle
2
: an arrangement of ropes and wheels for hoisting or pulling something heavy
3
a
: the act or an instance of tackling
b
: a football player who is positioned on the line of scrimmage and inside the ends
tackle
2 of 2 verb
tackled; tackling
ˈtak-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to seize or take hold of especially in order to stop or throw down
2
: to set about dealing with
tackle a problem
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