strategize
Americanverb (used without object)
Usage
What does strategize mean? To strategize is to plan or create a plan or strategy for a specific reason or goal. A strategy is a plan for a course of action, especially one that prepares for multiple scenarios or situations. Strategize is commonly used in any context that involves extensive planning, especially the military, business, politics, and sports. Example: One candidate had clearly strategized before the debate and knew how to answer every question and respond to every attack. The other candidate was obviously winging it.
Etymology
Origin of strategize
First recorded in 1970–75; strateg(y) + -ize
Explanation
When you work on a plan with the aim of achieving a goal, you strategize. If you don't strategize before the big debate, you'll probably be unprepared and unconvincing. You and your sister should strategize before presenting your proposal for higher allowances to your mom. That means you'll come up with a game plan to achieve your goal: convincing her that ten dollars a week makes sense. Chess players strategize too, studying the board for possible moves and planning ahead to ultimately put their opponent's king in check mate. Strategize and strategy were first used as military terminology, from a root meaning "military commander."
Vocabulary lists containing strategize
Academic Vocabulary and Literary Terms, Unit 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academic and Literary Vocabulary, Unit 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Black Girl Survives in This One
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study 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.
See Examples For:
He wakes up around 3:30 p.m., grabs a snack and heads to the track to strategize with engineers on site and back in Germany and Switzerland—who are working in daylight six hours behind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
They also make it exceedingly difficult for pro se petitioners filing on their own behalf to strategize the best approach and avoid being procedurally barred.
From Slate ● May 29, 2026
The company has been working with consultants from Bain & Co. to strategize its cost-cutting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
Stolz, who did not have an American teammate in the final to help him strategize, said the rest of the pack was reluctant to make a move on the leaders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2026
Since she was a daughter of Athena, plans were supposed to be her specialty; but it was hard to strategize with her stomach growling and her throat baking.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
And they strategized to boost the influence of those ideas in the global policy response to climate change.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
Ariane strategized with Epstein on pushing back, and thrust the matter into public view by filing a lawsuit in 2015 to control using the name in finance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Schmeltz, who is one of the leaders of the national Jewish on Campus Student Union, said the group has strategized on how to respond as protests multiplied.
From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024
For months this winter, they strategized ways to woo the two-time American League MVP to Chavez Ravine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2024
He carefully strategized its safekeeping and after much deliberation the twenty-seven crates were secretly shipped to the castle museum in Königsberg.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
The entertainment company’s executives are strategizing how to fight the lawsuit and have reached out to a number of attorneys generals involved in the suit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Those supports are a vital part of a long-term-care plan, and could do more to help stretch funds than any shuffling around of index funds or tax strategizing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
When they haven’t been loudly booing, many fans have noticed that teams often appear to spend as much time strategizing during the pauses as they do hydrating.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
They don’t spitball—they engage in ruthless strategizing worthy of the Pentagon war room.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Barack and I both knew that the months of campaigning ahead would involve extra travel, extra strategizing, and extra worry.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
