strategic

Sometimes stra·te·gi·cal

[struh-tee-jik]

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.

strategic

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of strategic¹

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

Example Sentences

Six months later, she was whisked off to Ardross Castle to become the pot-stirring, strategic mastermind of the Traitors' new spin-off series.

Read more on BBC

But give the billionaire credit for also urging an intellectual climate change at COP30, or as Mr. Gates calls it, “a strategic pivot: prioritize the things that have the greatest impact on human welfare.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In June, the Sudanese army accused forces loyal to the strongman in eastern Libya, Khalifa Haftar, of supporting the RSF's victorious offensive in a strategic zone on the border with Egypt and Libya.

Read more on Barron's

In the longer term, the deal won’t do anything to stop China’s strategic goal of weaning itself off U.S. soybeans, Suderman said.

Read more on Barron's

In the longer term, the deal won’t do anything to stop China’s strategic goal of weaning itself off U.S. soybeans, Suderman said.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• critical 
• important 
• key 
• vital