strategy

[strat-i-jee]

noun

plural

strategies 

1. Also the science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.

2. the use or an instance of using this science or art.

3. skillful use of a stratagem.

   The salesperson's strategy was to seem always to agree with the customer.

4. a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result.

   a strategy for getting ahead in the world.

strategy

/ ˈstrætɪdʒɪ /

noun

1. the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war; generalship

2. a particular long-term plan for success, esp in business or politics Compare tactics

3. a plan or stratagem

Other Word Forms

• counterstrategy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of strategy¹

First recorded in 1680–90; from Greek stratēgía “generalship,” equivalent to stratēg(os) “military commander, general” ( strat(ós) “army” + -ēgos, noun derivative of ágein “to lead”) + -ia -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of strategy¹

C17: from French stratégie, from Greek stratēgia function of a general; see _stratagem

Synonym Study

In military usage, a distinction is made between strategy and tactics. Strategy is the utilization, during both peace and war, of all of a nation's forces, through large-scale, long-range planning and development, to ensure security or victory. Tactics deals with the use and deployment of troops in actual combat.

Example Sentences

The Princeton team developed a two-part strategy to address these material challenges.

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"And you do the planning. You do the investment. You set the strategy. You influence the financing. It's not a five-year thing."

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It is a ploy he can carry out with comfort, potentially giving Tuchel's strategy an extra dimension.

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The iterative nature of war in Ukraine also demands more ability to switch buying strategies as the tech evolves.

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The same strategy could also be applied to large-scale Earth system studies, including climate and weather research.

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Related Words

• action 
• approach 
• blueprint 
• design 
• game plan 
• method 
• plan 
• planning 
• policy 
• procedure 
• program 
• project 
• scenario 
• scheme 
• system 

When To Use

What is strategy?

A strategy is a plan or method put in place to achieve a goal or result, as in Blanca’s strategy for passing the test was to study every night until test day.Strategy can refer to the use of tactics in the planning of military operations, usually to succeed in a battle or war. In a military context, a strategy can refer to an overall plan, a specific or broad goal, or the execution of said plan or goal.Strategy can also refer to the use of a strategy to meet a goal, as in The only way to win a war is with a solid strategy.Example: Their strategy was to distract the enemy and then sneak in from behind.