tactical

adjective

tac·​ti·​cal ˈtak-ti-kəl 

1

: of or relating to combat tactics: such as

a(1)

: of or occurring at the battlefront

a tactical defense

a tactical first strike

(2)

: using or being weapons or forces employed at the battlefront

tactical missiles

b

of an air force : of, relating to, or designed for air attack in close support of friendly ground forces

2

a

: of or relating to tactics: such as

(1)

: of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose

(2)

: made or carried out with only a limited or immediate end in view

b

: adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose

tactically

ˈtak-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of tactical

• prudent
• desirable
• wise
• possible
• politic

Examples of tactical in a Sentence

They gained a tactical advantage by joining with one of their competitors.

He made a serious tactical error.

The planes provided tactical air support for the soldiers on the ground.

Recent Examples on the Web

Feature Relevant Case Studies If the offer is commoditized and switching costs are low, price will matter more; if the solution drives higher efficiency or risk reduction, value should lead the conversation, while price should be a tactical lever. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Israel Weapon Industries, a local weapons maker, has developed a system to help soldiers more accurately shoot down tactical drones. —ABC News, 20 May 2026

Consus integrates institutional research with tactical portfolio management intended to adapt to economic conditions, interest-rate movements, and inflationary pressures. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 20 May 2026

According to Russian defense officials, the exercises are designed to test the readiness of the country’s strategic and tactical nuclear forces. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

tactic entry 1 or tactic entry 2 + -al entry 1

Note: An early use by the mathematician and occultist John Dee in his preface to Henry Billingsley's translation of Euclid's Elements (1570) is perhaps directly from Greek taktikós + -al entry 1.

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tactical

• practical
• impractical
• syntactical
• unpractical

Kids Definition

tactical

adjective

tac·​ti·​cal ˈtak-ti-kəl 

: of or relating to tactics

tactically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb