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 Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.
—
Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
Videos and images shared on social media by the DEA showed officers and agents in tactical gear swarming outside the building.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Bringing a player of Pedri’s passing quality closer to those relentless runners up ahead — freed to attack the space beyond teams’ back lines by their new manager — has been one of Flick’s most fruitful tactical tweaks.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Compared to the engaging, tactical group combat of modern action RPGs like Elden Ring or Avowed, the battles here feel downright archaic.
—ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactical
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Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
Videos and images shared on social media by the DEA showed officers and agents in tactical gear swarming outside the building.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Bringing a player of Pedri’s passing quality closer to those relentless runners up ahead — freed to attack the space beyond teams’ back lines by their new manager — has been one of Flick’s most fruitful tactical tweaks.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Compared to the engaging, tactical group combat of modern action RPGs like Elden Ring or Avowed, the battles here feel downright archaic.
—ArsTechnica, 26 Apr. 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 4 May. 2025.
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