TACTFUL Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

tactful

adjective

ˈtakt-fəl

Definition of tactful

as in politic

having or showing tact tried to be tactful when asked to critique her friend's singing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of tactful The tactful way to teach them requires refraining from criticizing their parents, which will be a struggle. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026 The boutique seller quoted earlier in the article is slightly less tactful. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026 Coach Erik Spoelstra was a bit more tactful while offering similar sentiment. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026 Please advise me on a tactful way to address this dear woman. — Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tactful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tactful

Adjective

Coaxing out his talents fell to a more politic peer.

— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026
What’s depicted focuses on the advances these early feminists made at the school and in society, and the personal tensions between the relentlessly radical Marks and the more politic Woolley.

— Manuel Mendoza, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026

Definition of politic

Adjective

Get to Know the Employees A polite conversation can go a long way, especially in a city like mine, where people usually expect a conversation with a stranger to go poorly.

— Aliyah Rodriguez, The Spruce, 7 Aug. 2026
Fejzo is in her late fifties, petite and brunette, with birdlike features and a polite intensity.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of polite

Adjective

That diplomatic impasse has effectively stalled shipping in the strait, through which about one fifth of global oil supplies passedbefore the war.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
The incidents underscore the growing impact of the nearly six-month-old war on two key global shipping routes, even as diplomatic efforts toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz show signs of progress.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of diplomatic

Adjective

The key is to research nearby options before showing up with your dog — and be respectful once you and your dog arrive, according to Beth Miller, founder of Wagtown, a nonprofit that works with communities to become more dog friendly.

— Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
People from different cultures often have fundamentally different assumptions about what makes advice helpful, respectful, and supportive.

— Krishna Savani, Harvard Business Review, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of respectful

Browse Nearby Words

tact

tactful

tactfully

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tactful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tactful. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tactful

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on tactful

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vacuous

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes