tradecraft

noun

trade·​craft ˈtrād-ˌkraft 

: the techniques and procedures of espionage

Examples of tradecraft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Corporate security departments, private intelligence outfits and investigative services possess powerful tools, including data access, surveillance capabilities, global networks and advanced tradecraft. — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Earlier Justice Department investigations into the memo challenged the analytical tradecraft but did not find intentional misconduct by the analysts involved. — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2026

Nemes does not give us any time to figure out who’s who and, really, what’s happening, but watching all this furtive tradecraft is compelling enough. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026

She’s never worked in intelligence, carried a badge, or been taught tradecraft. — Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tradecraft

• allograft
• autograft
• autographed
• countershaft
• handicraft
• homograft
• hovercraft
• lithographed
• overdraft
• photographed
• rotorcraft
• telegraphed