statecraft
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of statecraft
Explanation
The ability to be a savvy and effective political leader is statecraft. If the President isn't skilled at statecraft, he or she will have a hard time accomplishing anything. A lot goes into statecraft, which is sometimes called "the art of governing." Political experience, diplomacy, and leadership skills are all essential to statecraft. The ultimate goal of statecraft depends on who is practicing it; for some it's power and for others it's world peace. The word statecraft has been used in English since the 17th century.
Vocabulary lists containing statecraft
Antigone
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U.S. Government - Middle School and High School
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U.S. Government - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the country sits in a better position than its neighbours, after years of statecraft that have prepared it for a global energy crisis.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Adept at balancing ideological loyalty with pragmatic statecraft, Larijani was central prior to the war to Iran's nuclear policy and strategic diplomacy.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
It sounds like something out of a Trollope novel—a well-behaved boy lapping up statecraft over dinner.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
But even a quiet meeting with the emperor suggests the Japanese know, like their counterparts in the U.K., how to wield their monarchy as a tool of statecraft.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025
He whispered to them the secrets of steelcraft and statecraft.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
