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
Synonyms
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
According to preliminary information, the incident started when five officers assigned to a tactical unit pulled over a vehicle for a traffic stop, the accountability office said in a March news release.
—
Omar Jimenez, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Nearly a dozen agents in tactical gear rushed in, searching every closet and corner.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
The most immediate dispute between Washington and Tel Aviv concerns the next tactical phase of the Gaza war.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said after the shootout that Savannah was wearing tactical gear and started running toward deputies.
—Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
In addition to racing instruction, the facility also specializes in tactical driving for military and security personnel.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
Savannah did not appear to be wearing a vest or tactical gear.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024
The accounts signal a potential tactical shift in how Beijing aims to influence American politics, with more of a willingness to target specific candidates and parties, including Mr. Biden.
—Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
CEOs should seek tactical business insights tailored to their specific situation and filter out all the noise.
—Ryan Niddel, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Omar Jimenez, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Nearly a dozen agents in tactical gear rushed in, searching every closet and corner.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
The most immediate dispute between Washington and Tel Aviv concerns the next tactical phase of the Gaza war.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said after the shootout that Savannah was wearing tactical gear and started running toward deputies.
—Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
In addition to racing instruction, the facility also specializes in tactical driving for military and security personnel.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
Savannah did not appear to be wearing a vest or tactical gear.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 3 Apr. 2024
The accounts signal a potential tactical shift in how Beijing aims to influence American politics, with more of a willingness to target specific candidates and parties, including Mr. Biden.
—Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
CEOs should seek tactical business insights tailored to their specific situation and filter out all the noise.
—Ryan Niddel, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tactical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tactical
Cite this Entry
“Tactical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactical. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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