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.

---

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

---

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

He said foreign investors would likely be increasingly cautious about committing capital "to strategic infrastructure projects in the United States' backyard."

From Barron's

Prior to her four years at the Information, Jessica spent seven years at Reuters, where she consistently broke news on major deals, executive changes and strategic developments in media, tech and finance.

From The Wall Street Journal

The container terminals are located at the entrances of the waterway, a proximity that has long magnified their strategic sensitivity despite their formal separation from canal operations.

From The Wall Street Journal

He still agrees with the board’s conclusion that two businesses with clear strategic focuses would create more value separately than together.

From Barron's

The state media office describes L’Imad as a fund “focused on building national champions in sectors of strategic importance.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• critical
• important
• key
• vital