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Synonyms

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
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In South Korea, Pasqal counts LG Electronics as a major strategic partner that has been working with the company since November.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

President Trump has shown he is willing to make bold strategic moves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

That he didn’t follow through makes issuing the threat, to begin with, a huge strategic blunder.

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

They are alarmed by the possibility that their tactical victories over Iran will not add up to a strategic advance.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

“Dad taught me. It’s military. Gathering strategic evidence.”

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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.