tactfulness

noun

Definition of tactfulnessnext
as in diplomacy
the ability to deal with others in touchy situations without offending them the tactfulness with which the secretary of state handled the diplomatic crisis was commendable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tactfulness
  1. diplomacy
  2. manners
  3. tact
  4. sensitivity
  5. gallantry
Noun
  • China has long used the pandas as part of its diplomacy globally, deploying the bears in loan programs as expressions of goodwill and letting loan agreements lapse when tensions arise.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • In the final seconds of his speech, however, Pezeshkian said Tehran remained open to diplomacy.
    — Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of diplomacy
Noun
  • Swift drops clues in all manners and the Swifties almost always unearth the meaning behind them.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • On the one hand, Julian Fellowes’ juicy melodrama enlists one of the finest ensembles imaginable to bring outsized intensity to a drama of manners.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of manners
Noun
  • People who did not find tact and courtesy a challenge, who kept things simple.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • On the greatest night of his greatest coaching feat, Sarkisian acted without grace or a shred of tact.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of tact
Noun
  • Goldman Sachs has little direct sensitivity to higher interest rates.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Children have a higher sensitivity to not just mold spores but also indoor dampness.
    — Rebecca Smullin Dawson, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of sensitivity
Noun
  • In World Cup lore, however, his gallantry is doomed to be overshadowed by that of his fellow-goalkeeper from Cabo Verde, Vozinha, who had already produced an uncanny impersonation of a brick wall on the fourth day of the tournament.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • In all of these cases, the effect is largely the same—forging intimacy through some level of generosity or gallantry, coupled with pure, physical proximity—and in 2026, all of them are still technically possible.
    — Sara Delgado, Vogue, 9 July 2026
Definition of gallantry
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.

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tactfully
tactfulness
tactic
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Cite this Entry

“Tactfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tactfulness. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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