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

• advisable
• desirable
• expedient
• judicious
• politic
• prudent
• wise

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

The typical long-term buy-and-hold amateur will stay in tune with broad market trends and tend to do better than tactical professionals. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 1 Feb. 2025

Amazon’s selection of insulated travel pants goes beyond our wildest dreams, and from toasty joggers to tactical cargos, there’s no shortage of options tailor-made for your unique taste. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2025

In the summer of 2022, an associate, Kevin Ocasio Justiniano, purchased law enforcement tactical gear from a retail store near Orange Blossom Trail for him and Torres-Garcia to conduct home invasion robberies in the area, federal investigators said. —Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025

The areas range from calming spaces with dimmable lighting, soft furniture, and tactical games to interactive experiences with mock-up aircraft and jetways to prepare travelers for actual air travel. —Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 28 Jan. 2025

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

Kids Definition

tactical

adjective

tac·​ti·​cal ˈtak-ti-kəl 

: of or relating to tactics

tactically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb