strategist

American  

[strat-i-jist] / ˈstræt ɪ dʒɪst /

noun

1. an expert in strategy, especially in warfare.

   Julius Caesar was a great military strategist.

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strategist British  

/ ˈstrætɪdʒɪst /

noun

1. a specialist or expert in strategy

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Etymology

Origin of strategist

First recorded in 1830–40; strateg(y) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does strategist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• tactician vs. strategist

Explanation

That guy who's really good at making a detailed plan for winning at Monopoly? He's a strategist, or an expert at strategy, or planning. The noun strategist is most commonly used to talk about military people who plan wars, but it's useful whenever you mention someone who is particularly good at making a plan in any kind of complex situation. A coach acts as a strategist when she makes a plan to help her team win the game. A busy mom could also be called a strategist when she has a system for getting a bunch of kids fed, clothed, and out the door to school on time.

Example Sentences

Sammarco, a Democratic strategist and influencer, saw the posts and sent an Instagram message to Fodor on April 3.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Corporate bond spreads have “moved into damage‑contained mode—signaling a pivot from second‑order fears and back to fundamentals,” wrote Manish Kabra, a multi-asset strategist at Société Générale on Wednesday.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Four factors could help drive strong economic growth in the months ahead, according to Ohsung Kwon, Wells Fargo’s chief equity strategist.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

“In addition to the decline in net supply, expectations for rate hikes have flattened the curve,” the rates strategist says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Now that they were without her, Frank was the next best thing the group had to a military strategist.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• planner