tactful

adjective

tact·​ful ˈtakt-fəl How to pronounce tactful (audio)
: having or showing tact
tactfully adverb
tactfulness noun

Examples of tactful in a Sentence

He gave a tactful critique of her story. It was tactful of her not to criticize me in front of my boss.
Recent Examples on the Web Fest Adds Six Films to Competition, Including 'Fingernails' With Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed A Silence The Bottom Line A tough if tactful watch. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Sep. 2023 Here, instead, she’s swayed by a dead Diana softly squeezing her hand and kindly hinting — the dead Diana is an ace at tactful circumlocution — that now is the time to show a mourning nation some emotion. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 Laura Harrier also recently feminized an oversized button-down with tactful buttoning around the waist. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2023 Smith, who has been with Microsoft since 1993, has earned a reputation as a tactful diplomat in Washington who has succeeded in using Microsoft’s positioning as a friend and partner to regulators to avoid the kind of antitrust oversight other Big Tech firms have dealt with. Caroline O'Donovan, Washington Post, 2 June 2022 By contrast, others deride the trend as unprofessional and say there are more tactful ways for unhappy workers to leave their jobs or celebrate making a change. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2023 Thus the it’s-not-you-it’s-me approach, which is tactful, if worn. Miss Manners | Judith Martin, Anchorage Daily News, 18 July 2023 Or is there a tactful way to make my differing opinion about these drugs known? Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 28 June 2023 Remain tactful, diplomatic and professional even when you’re frustrated. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tactful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tactful was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near tactful

Cite this Entry

“Tactful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tactful

adjective
tact·​ful ˈtakt-fəl How to pronounce tactful (audio)
: having or showing tact
tactfully adverb
tactfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tactful

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