tactic

1 of 3

noun

tac·tic ˈtak-tik

Synonyms of tactic next

: a device for accomplishing an end

: 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

: of, relating to, or having (such) an arrangement or pattern

phonotactic

: 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

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.

Noun

Or Trump could merely be using the threats as a negotiating tactic, essentially bluffing. —

Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025 Scammers use various tactics to engage potential victims and gain their trust. —

Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 19 Jan. 2025

Adjective

That proactiveness to advance the ball quickly is vital to combat a high press, a tactic opponents are becoming increasingly comfortable with utilizing against the USWNT. —

Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025 And many training companies operating in California now advise against long interrogations and a reliance on lying and manipulation — though lying still remains a tactic police are allowed to use. —

Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tactic

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

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tactic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactic. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

tactic

noun

tac·tic

ˈtak-tik

: a method of arranging and moving forces in combat

: a planned action for a particular purpose

Medical Definition

tactic

adjective

tac·tic ˈtak-tik

: regular in structure of repeating units in a polymer

: of, relating to, or showing biological taxis

Last Updated: 22 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

opine

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

tactic

noun

adjective

adjective combining form

Examples of tactic in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near tactic

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition