strategist
Americannoun
noun
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:
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Darry Sragow, a veteran Democratic strategist who managed Checchi’s unsuccessful 1998 bid for governor that set a self-funding record, said voters have long been skeptical of the motivation of rich people who run for office.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
The strategist noted that in almost any district, a sitting congressman targeted by the president would lose by 30 points.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
In a note published Tuesday, the Barclays team, led by equity strategist Rex Feng, said that U.S. equity funds saw net new inflows for the last seven consecutive weeks totaling $70 billion.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Asian currencies have stabilized, but “conviction remains tentative at this point,” the FX strategist says in a research report.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 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
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.
