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
Two men ducked behind the van as an agent wearing full tactical gear opened the driver's side door and looked into the rear of the vehicle.
—
Peter D'abrosca , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Officers called in a police tactical team as well as crisis negotiators to try to coax the man to surrender, said department officials.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The company is a startup again, now focusing on building a mobile, tactical rocket that could serve national defense interests.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications capabilities, SSGNs are capable of directly supporting Combatant Commander's strike and Special Operation Forces (SOF) requirements.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactical
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Peter D'abrosca , Brooke Taylor, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Officers called in a police tactical team as well as crisis negotiators to try to coax the man to surrender, said department officials.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The company is a startup again, now focusing on building a mobile, tactical rocket that could serve national defense interests.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Armed with tactical missiles and equipped with superior communications capabilities, SSGNs are capable of directly supporting Combatant Commander's strike and Special Operation Forces (SOF) requirements.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 2025.
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