strategic

Sometimes stra·te·gi·cal

[struh-tee-jik]

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

/ 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

• strategically adverb
• nonstrategic adjective
• nonstrategical adjective
• unstrategic adjective
• unstrategical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of strategic¹

First recorded in 1815–25; from Greek stratēgikós, equivalent to stratēg(ós) “general” ( strategy ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

“Core positions are becoming more resilient. Gold is increasingly viewed as a long-term strategic asset and a core part of asset allocation,” the UBS strategists wrote.

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“There is no assurance that this proposal will result in a transaction or any other strategic outcome,” Grindr said in an Oct.

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The earnings call could offer the company an opportunity to share more details about expected revenues from its strategic partners.

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"Is Chad a strategic country for us? Of course."

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It will stop developing the MarramWind and CampionWind turbine projects with partners in the North Sea after "a strategic review", a spokesman said, adding that Shell now had no new offshore projects in Scotland.

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Related Words

• critical 
• important 
• key 
• vital