tactic

noun

tac·tic | \ ˈtak-tik

Definition of tactic

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a device for accomplishing an end

2 : a method of employing forces in combat

tactic

adjective

Definition of tactic (Entry 2 of 3)

: of or relating to arrangement or order

-tactic

adjective combining form

Definition of -tactic (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : of, relating to, or having (such) an arrangement or pattern paratactic

2 : showing orientation or movement directed by a (specified) force or agent geotactic

Examples of tactic in a Sentence

Noun

an effective tactic for solving crimes We may need to change tactics. a specialist in naval tactics

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Protests were expected Wednesday but more as a display of anger and venting of frustration, rather than an effective blocking tactic. — James Griffiths, CNN, "The return of Hong Kong's umbrella movement," 12 June 2019 Recognizing weedbeds likely to hold fish that can be caught on this tactic takes some experience. — Frank Sargeant, al.com, "Hey anglers, don’t forget flippin’ as spring turns into summer," 12 June 2019 Apparently unaware of, or unconcerned with, the advantages offered by the canny use of public diplomacy, coercive tactics have become a main feature of his Presidency. — Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, "Mexico, Cuba, and Trump’s Increasing Preference for Punishment Over Diplomacy," 11 June 2019 Despite police crowd control tactics that kept marchers at a standstill at many points, Hong Kong was its usual disciplined self. — Tripti Lahiri, Quartz, "Photos: Hong Kong has got its protest mojo back," 9 June 2019 Political campaigns really pick up on new technology and tactics quickly: If a new technology can give them another half percentage point of turnout, many campaigns are won by thousands of votes, and that could be a big deal. — Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, "Meet the Oakland startup founder whose company is helping redefine how political campaigns use text messaging," 9 June 2019 Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has revealed how manager Jurgen Klopp changed his side's tactics to help them to become champions of Europe for a sixth time. — SI.com, "Alisson Reveals the Tactical Change Which Led to Liverpool's Champions League Win," 9 June 2019 America is deploying new tactics—poker-style brinkmanship—and new weapons that exploit its role as the nerve centre of the global economy to block the free flow of goods, data, ideas and money across borders. — The Economist, "America is deploying a new economic arsenal to assert its power," 6 June 2019 Those fish, which can continue spawning for several more years, may find familiar structures in Lake Raven thanks to a research project aimed at developing tactics that can benefit catfish in smaller lakes. — Shannon Tompkins, ExpressNews.com, "Fish in a barrel, or how to spawn cats in a small lake," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tactic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for tactic

Noun

New Latin tactica, from Greek taktikē, from feminine of taktikos

Adjective

New Latin tacticus, from Greek taktikos

Adjective combining form

Greek taktikos

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Statistics for tactic

Last Updated

15 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for tactic

The first known use of tactic was in 1640

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More Definitions for tactic

tactic

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tactic

: an action or method that is planned and used to achieve a particular goal

: the activity or skill of organizing and moving soldiers and equipment in a military battle

See the full definition for tactic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tactic

noun

tac·tic | \ ˈtak-tik

Kids Definition of tactic

: a planned action for some purpose “All that kid does is cry and he gets his way.” … “If I tried that tactic, my parents would just say, ‘Grow up.’ …”— Pam Zollman, Don't Bug Me!