tact

American  

[takt] / tækt /

noun

1. 

   a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

   Synonyms:

   poise, diplomacy, sensitivity, perception

2. a keen sense of what is appropriate, tasteful, or aesthetically pleasing; taste; discrimination.

3. touch or the sense of touch.

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tact British  

/ tækt /

noun

1. a sense of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others, so as to avoid giving offence or to win good will; discretion

2. skill or judgment in handling difficult or delicate situations; diplomacy

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Other Word Forms

• tactfulness
  noun
• tactlessness
  noun
• tactful
  adjective
• tactless
  adjective
• tactfully
  adverb
• tactlessly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of tact

First recorded in 1150–1200; from Latin tāctus “sense of touch,” equivalent to tag-, variant stem of tangere “to touch” + -tus suffix of verbal action

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Explanation

To talk carefully without hurting anyone’s feelings, that’s tact. Politicians have tact, which makes them good at speaking about sensitive matters without making fools of themselves. At least, sometimes they have tact. Around a friend who’s afraid of snakes, you use tact when talking about reptiles because you don’t want to upset them. The Latin root word tangere means “touch,” and a person with tact avoids touching dangerous words like they are an electric fence. When you say something without tact, you “put your foot in your mouth,” as the phrase goes. You don’t literally put your foot in your mouth, although if you did you’d avoid offending people with words.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tact

But it also has something I don’t: instant access to billions of examples of kindness, tact and emotional intelligence—and none of the ego that makes change so difficult for the rest of us.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

“We spoke with him for hours, and he told us everything he saw, obviously with great tact, sharing both the good and the not-so-good,” Roy recalled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

Leo XIV tossed away the diplomatic tact usually required of popes as he began a state visit to Spain on Saturday, revealing that his footballing loyalties lie with Real Madrid.

From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026

On a lighter note, when asked by a reporter on the flight to Spain whether he preferred Barcelona or Real Madrid, Leo replied with typical diplomatic tact that the Pope supported all teams.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

I imagine a mother as a woman who, first and foremost, possesses a great deal of tact, especially toward her adolescent children, and not one who, like Momsy, pokes fun at me when I cry.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

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Related Words

• common-sense
• discretion
• prudence
• refinement
• sensitivity
• subtlety

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