as in politic
having or showing tact
tried to be tactful when asked to critique her friend's singing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tactful
Written by Celia Marks and a team of editors at Southern Living Magazine, the party cookbook is brimming with sensible, tactful advice about issuing invitations, entertaining in limited spaces and seating arrangements.
—
Rai Mincey, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
All right, is this the first tactful move Danielle has made all season?
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
Social media has sabotaged the tactful rule against mentioning social events to people who were not invited.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025
Tonight: Check your finances. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★
Go easy and be tactful today, because your dealings with close friends, spouses and partners might be difficult.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactful
Rai Mincey, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
All right, is this the first tactful move Danielle has made all season?
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025
Social media has sabotaged the tactful rule against mentioning social events to people who were not invited.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025
Tonight: Check your finances. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★
Go easy and be tactful today, because your dealings with close friends, spouses and partners might be difficult.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tactful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tactful
Adjective
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The interactions of the child protagonists have metaphoric and politic overtones.—
Alex Dueben
July 21,
Literary Hub,
21 July 2025
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Stirring up some of the local Chicago politic mix, with the cops and more, Smollett then was put under the spotlight of a special prosecutor and hauled before the courts for allegedly playing fast and loose with the truth and his own agenda.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Most of the time, generative AI has been tuned to be relatively polite and offers mild praise, though a user can easily up the ante by simply telling the AI to pour it on.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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There also were multiple paintings scattered throughout the fictional White House that poke fun at Trump’s military bravado as well as an image that seems to involve Trump and a sheep engaged in an activity not meant for polite company, not to mention that deepfake.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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The action is Seoul’s latest diplomatic gesture to its long-time rival neighbor.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
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Despite claiming the Pretoria Agreement as a diplomatic triumph, the United States did little to enforce it.—
Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Strangers to one another, the two women build a quiet, respectful life together, though the reemergence of Betty’s estranged husband and son sheds light on the tragic past that explains the murky present.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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This false hope can drag out their heartbreak far longer than a direct, respectful rejection might.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tactful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tactful. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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