tactical
adjective
tac·ti·cal
ˈtak-ti-kəl 
1
: of or relating to combat tactics: such as
a(1)
: of or occurring at the battlefront
a tactical defense
a tactical first strike
(2)
: using or being weapons or forces employed at the battlefront
tactical missiles
b
of an air force
: of, relating to, or designed for air attack in close support of friendly ground forces
2
a
: of or relating to tactics: such as
(1)
: of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose
(2)
: made or carried out with only a limited or immediate end in view
b
: adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose
Examples of tactical in a Sentence
They gained a tactical advantage by joining with one of their competitors.
He made a serious tactical error.
The planes provided tactical air support for the soldiers on the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
The tactical vest’s length stopped short of his lower stomach area, where a single hollow-point bullet struck Rodarte.
—
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Crews of 10 Su-30SM2 multipurpose fighters and Su-24M tactical front-line bombers from the fleet took part in the exercise, which involved bombing targets while traveling at more than 620 miles per hour, the official Tass news agency said, and practicing the evasion of aircraft and air defenses.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
There was his father, Steve, an Ontario provincial police officer who used to lead a tactical rescue team out of London.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The trials are a mix of physical games and tactical challenges that variously test strength, teamwork and strategic thinking.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactical
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Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Crews of 10 Su-30SM2 multipurpose fighters and Su-24M tactical front-line bombers from the fleet took part in the exercise, which involved bombing targets while traveling at more than 620 miles per hour, the official Tass news agency said, and practicing the evasion of aircraft and air defenses.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
There was his father, Steve, an Ontario provincial police officer who used to lead a tactical rescue team out of London.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The trials are a mix of physical games and tactical challenges that variously test strength, teamwork and strategic thinking.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactical
Cite this Entry
“Tactical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactical. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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