strategic

adjective

stra·​te·​gic strə-ˈtē-jik How to pronounce strategic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or marked by strategy
a strategic retreat
2
a
: necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan
b
: required for the conduct of war and not available in adequate quantities domestically
strategic materials
c
: of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect
emphasized strategic points
3
: designed or trained to strike an enemy at the sources of its military, economic, or political power
a strategic bomber
strategical adjective
strategically adverb

Examples of strategic in a Sentence

The bridges have great strategic value. The hill is located at a strategic position.
Recent Examples on the Web Most of the movie takes place in broad daylight, not at all the aesthetic audiences expect from a modern-day war movie, which typically uses strategic filters to make everything look gritty. Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 Make strategic home improvements: Painting the interior is among sellers' most common updates. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2024 Fresh off the success of Pluribus, Brown went searching for a harder challenge—one that would require not just the abstract strategic thinking needed to win a game like poker but also the ability to excel in the messier world of unstructured human interaction. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 This year, reining in costs is a top priority for 55% of health care leaders, followed by managing strategic and performance improvement initiatives (51%), and managing service line financial performance (45%). Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 While Peltz has been focused on a strategic turnaround at the group, other advisors have been wary of the negative connotations of higher executive pay during a massive cost of living crisis. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 15 Mar. 2024 Ledesma was a longtime member of the school board; Miner became a key addition in 2022, bringing strategic assertiveness and an important vote to a burgeoning, religiously conservative governing philosophy. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 The dueling objectives highlight the complexities of de-risking from China, and indicate that efforts to reduce dependence on Beijing will require strategic choices and at times difficult tradeoffs. Mary Hui, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 However, the strategic fund could adjust that deadline to accommodate the new development timeline. Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strategic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strategic was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near strategic

Cite this Entry

“Strategic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strategic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

strategic

adjective
stra·​te·​gic strə-ˈtē-jik How to pronounce strategic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or showing strategy
strategic value of the position
a strategic retreat
2
a
: required for the conduct of war
strategic supplies
b
: of great importance within a whole or for a planned purpose
mentioned strategic points
3
: designed or trained to strike at what makes an enemy powerful
strategic bomber
strategical adjective
strategically adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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