tactic

1 of 3

noun

tac·​tic ˈtak-tik How to pronounce tactic (audio)
1
: a device for accomplishing an end
2
: a method of employing forces in combat

tactic

2 of 3

adjective

: of or relating to arrangement or order

-tactic

3 of 3

adjective combining form

1
: of, relating to, or having (such) an arrangement or pattern
phonotactic
2
: showing orientation or movement directed by a (specified) force or agent
geotactic

Note: Adjectives formed with -tactic usually correspond to nouns ending in -taxis.

Examples of tactic in a Sentence

Noun an effective tactic for solving crimes We may need to change tactics. a specialist in naval tactics
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The tactic was criticized as homophobic, and Judge Terry, who presided over the second trial, barred prosecutors from arguing that motive. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 But the tactic worked and, while not always successful, has been a common campaign strategy ever since. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 Time may be finally running out on the filibuster, the signature dilatory tactic in the Senate embraced by some as a protector of minority rights and reviled by others as an outdated weapon of partisan obstruction. Carl Hulse, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 For China’s leaders, whether Trump or Biden would better serve Beijing’s interests is a question of tactics: How can Beijing best take on its main rival? Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 The tactic was taught by Bruce Praet, an attorney and co-founder of Lexipol, a company that hundreds of police departments and district attorney’s offices across the state have hired to train officers and prosecutors on policing tactics and avoiding lawsuits. Brian Howey, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 The site disguised itself as a small business that manufacturers scented candles, a tactic Shapiro says is increasingly common. Louise Matsakis, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2024 The group was willing to use hardball tactics, like forcing government shutdowns, in order to negotiate more conservative deals. Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024 Building and fostering long-term relationships with influencers who authentically resonate with your brand's vision is a strategic endeavor that involves several key steps and tactics. Aurelie Sauthier, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The resilient tun state isn’t the only tactic water bears use to survive environmental stress, and the team plans to study these other strategies in close detail. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2024 Compressing file contents into archived zip files has long been a tactic threat actors use to conceal malware spreading through email or downloads. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 15 May 2023 This is a tactic vendors of all sizes can employ to make returns somewhat more predictable. Heather Hoover-Salomon, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023 Miguel, who was elected mayor in October 2021, said Thursday that music has been constantly playing at the bandshell for roughly the past six months to discourage crime — a tactic cities have used for more than a decade. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 Fast-food companies quickly launched a campaign to qualify a referendum on the ballot to reverse the law, a tactic business interests have adopted to pause and halt progressive laws from taking effect in California. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023 One of the standard protocols is to have a second submersible on hand that can reach the first one if necessary, which is a tactic film director and deep-sea explorer James Cameron used during his 33 dives to the Titanic. Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 31 July 2023 The Trump administration moved to ban the use of consent decrees, calling the tactic federal overreach. David Nakamura, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023 Anyone can throw money at either tactic—and to be frank, both are recommended for any business’s success—but where PR can push you leagues ahead of your competitors is in the quality of the narrative. Victoria Kennedy, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from New Latin tactica "art of deploying troops in combat," borrowed from Greek taktikḗ (originally modifying téchnē "art, skill "), noun derivative from feminine of taktikós "of ordering or arranging, of ordering troops in combat"; in recent use also as back-formation from tactics — more at tactic entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Greek taktikós "of ordering or arranging, of ordering troops in combat," from taktós "ordered, prescribed" (verbal adjective of tássein —Attic táttein— "to draw up in order [as troops, ships], post, station, place in order, prescribe, assess," of uncertain origin) + -ikos -ic entry 1

Note: The derivative noun tagḗ "line of battle" (and possibly Thessalian tāgós "commander") show that the base of the verb was tag-, which should have resulted in *tázein rather than tássein; the latter was presumably introduced from generalization of the voiceless consonant in the aorist and in derivatives such as taktós, táxis, etc. The base tag- has been compared with the Parthian title tgmdr (read as *taɣma-dára "order-giver"), Old Persian ham-ataxšata "they have put in order," Tocharian B tāś "commander," and (semantically much more distant) Lithuanian patogùs "convenient, comfortable," sutógti "to get married, ally oneself." R. Beekes proposes a verb *teh2g-, invoking a law to delete the laryngeal in order to avoid positing a base with *a (Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2010).

Adjective combining form

borrowed from Greek -taktikos, after pairs such as prótaxis "placement in front, prefixing," protaktikós "used as a prefix" — more at tactic entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1640, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tactic was in 1640

Dictionary Entries Near tactic

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

tactic

noun
tac·​tic
ˈtak-tik
1
: a method of arranging and moving forces in combat
2
: a planned action for a particular purpose

Medical Definition

tactic

adjective
tac·​tic ˈtak-tik How to pronounce tactic (audio)
1
: regular in structure of repeating units in a polymer
2
: of, relating to, or showing biological taxis
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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