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
Although by this point Garrison had already been plying the slammer trade for several years, Alfortish wasn’t shy about offering him tactical advice.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Since there were no victims, deputies made a tactical decision to leave the area, with plans to return later, Katra said.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
During the standoff, Morales fired at law enforcement vehicles and equipment, including a drone that was shot out of the air, while multiple tactical vehicles took gunfire, according to Boudreaux.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
According to Chinese analysis, once operational, the Y-30 would address a key gap in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s tactical airlift capabilities, effectively completing a broader, long-developing military transport ecosystem.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tactical
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Since there were no victims, deputies made a tactical decision to leave the area, with plans to return later, Katra said.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026
During the standoff, Morales fired at law enforcement vehicles and equipment, including a drone that was shot out of the air, while multiple tactical vehicles took gunfire, according to Boudreaux.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
According to Chinese analysis, once operational, the Y-30 would address a key gap in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s tactical airlift capabilities, effectively completing a broader, long-developing military transport ecosystem.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
