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
But impressive tactical wins with big statistics attached do not equal strategic victories.
—
Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The Los Angeles Police Department went on tactical alert in reaction to the chaos, deploying tear gas.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026
The right wing is not as tactical of a fighter as Jeannot.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
By then the city had already paid $11 million in settlements and $20 million to outside law firms over nine years to defend cases involving Watts, who led a crew of tactical officers accused of framing innocent people who wouldn’t pay bribes.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tactical
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Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
The Los Angeles Police Department went on tactical alert in reaction to the chaos, deploying tear gas.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026
The right wing is not as tactical of a fighter as Jeannot.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
By then the city had already paid $11 million in settlements and $20 million to outside law firms over nine years to defend cases involving Watts, who led a crew of tactical officers accused of framing innocent people who wouldn’t pay bribes.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tactical
Cite this Entry
“Tactical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactical. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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