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

“Singapore is our first right-hand-drive overseas market, and it carries significant strategic importance for us,” Chen said.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We have a strategic fundraising roadmap, raising the right capital for the right goals at each stage, while staying aligned with the best-fit investor,” he said at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Busywork sounds low-value, but white space sounds creative and it sounds strategic,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal

David Widawsky, director of the World Resources Institute, called the move a “strategic blunder that gives away American advantage for nothing in return.”

From Los Angeles Times

The U.S. wants to acquire Greenland for strategic Arctic control and mineral resources, but it already has capabilities in the territory, which is part of Denmark.

From Barron's

Related Words

• critical
• important
• key
• vital