strategic

American  

[struh-tee-jik] / strəˈti dʒɪk /

Sometimes strategical

adjective

1. pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of strategy.

   strategic movements.

2. important in or essential to strategy.

   Synonyms:

   principal, key, crucial, critical, opportune

3. (of an action, as a military operation or a move in a game) forming an integral part of a stratagem.

   a strategic move in a game of chess.

4. Military.

   1. intended to render the enemy incapable of making war, as by the destruction of materials, factories, etc..

      a strategic bombing mission.

   2. (of a weapon) long range, as an intercontinental ballistic missile.

      Strategic nuclear weapons were the linchpin of the Mutual Assured Destruction doctrine at the height of the Cold War.

   3. essential to the conduct of a war.

      Copper is a strategic material.

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strategic British  

/ strəˈtiːdʒɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of strategy

2. important to a strategy or to strategy in general

3. (of weapons, attacks, etc) directed against an enemy's homeland rather than used on a battlefield

   a strategic missile

   strategic bombing

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Other Word Forms

• nonstrategic adjective
• nonstrategical adjective
• strategically adverb
• unstrategic adjective
• unstrategical adjective

Etymology

Origin of strategic

First recorded in 1815–25; from Greek stratēgikós, equivalent to stratēg(ós) “general” ( strategy ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

“The M&A market is focused on the long-term fundamentals: right deal, right price and right strategic rationale.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The U.A.E.’s newly assertive approach is a fundamental shift in its strategic outlook, said officials from a Persian Gulf state.

From The Wall Street Journal

While the deal appears a good strategic fit for both companies, the selloff may reflect investors’ anxieties of how the transaction is structured and whether the post-transaction ownership makes sense.

From Barron's

A problem of our age is the strategic non sequiturs that leaders turn into tests of their prestige and manhood.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Kharg Island mission might make sense if it strikes a decisive blow that shortens the war and secures America’s strategic interest.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• critical
• important
• key
• vital