strategy

noun

strat·​e·​gy ˈstra-tə-jē 

plural strategies

1

a(1)

: the science and art of employing the political, economic, psychological, and military forces of a nation or group of nations to afford the maximum support to adopted policies in peace or war

(2)

: the science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat under advantageous conditions

b

: a variety of or instance of the use of strategy

2

a

: a careful plan or method : a clever stratagem

b

: the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal

3

: an adaptation or complex of adaptations (as of behavior, metabolism, or structure) that serves or appears to serve an important function in achieving evolutionary success

foraging strategies of insects

Synonyms

• plan
• blueprint
• program
• scheme

Examples of strategy in a Sentence

They are proposing a new strategy for treating the disease with a combination of medications.

The government is developing innovative strategies to help people without insurance get medical care.

a specialist in campaign strategy

Recent Examples on the Web

Lazarus didn’t have to clear his Belichick strategy with Dykes, or anyone else in the program or at the school. —Sean Gregory, Time, 3 Sep. 2025

One strategy is to bring a lawn chair and pick a stage, camping out in one spot for the whole day. —Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025

Like Phoenix residents heading up to Flagstaff on a summer weekend, some desert mammals’ strategy to beat the heat is to simply move to a cooler place. —John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Clooney’s intervention helped pave the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic front-runner, a shift that dramatically reshaped the party’s strategy just months before the Democratic National Convention. —Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek stratēgia generalship, from stratēgos

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing strategy

• counter-strategy
• exit strategy

Kids Definition

strategy

noun

strat·​e·​gy ˈstrat-ə-jē 

plural strategies

1

: the science and art of employing the forces of a country in peace or war

especially : the science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat under favorable conditions

2

a

: a careful plan or method

b

: the art of making or employing plans or tricks to achieve a goal

Medical Definition

strategy

noun

strat·​e·​gy ˈstrat-ə-jē 

plural strategies

: an adaptation or complex of adaptations (as of behavior, metabolism, or structure) that serves or appears to serve an important function in achieving evolutionary success