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 here’s your tactical playbook, lit with back-alley wisdom and neon gospel.
—
Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Donnarumma is still an outstanding goalkeeper, but for PSG, the ceiling of their tactical identity is higher with Chevalier.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Yet, President Donald Trump’s latest trade war may be achieving the unthinkable: pushing India and China into a wary but tactical embrace.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
From Vision To Execution: A Mobility Playbook Below are the steps to take, the key questions to ask, and the tactical moves to make when designing a cross-border mobility strategy that aligns with your financial, personal and operational goals.
—Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactical
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Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Donnarumma is still an outstanding goalkeeper, but for PSG, the ceiling of their tactical identity is higher with Chevalier.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Yet, President Donald Trump’s latest trade war may be achieving the unthinkable: pushing India and China into a wary but tactical embrace.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
From Vision To Execution: A Mobility Playbook Below are the steps to take, the key questions to ask, and the tactical moves to make when designing a cross-border mobility strategy that aligns with your financial, personal and operational goals.
—Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 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 19 Aug. 2025.
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