strategist

American  

[strat-i-jist] / ˈstræt ɪ dʒɪst /

noun

1. an expert in strategy, especially in warfare.

   Julius Caesar was a great military strategist.

---

strategist British  

/ ˈstrætɪdʒɪst /

noun

1. a specialist or expert in strategy

---

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

The so-called ‘guidance gap’ has turned positive, notes Talley Leger, chief market strategist at The Wealth Consulting Group.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

“Expectations are cooling faster than fundamentals are collapsing,” Saxo Bank’s chief investment strategist, Charu Chanana, said of the survey.

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

She wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number one strategist leave his side while we’re bat- tling Typhon.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• planner