strategy
Americannoun
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strategies
plural
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Also strategics. the science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.
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the use or an instance of using this science or art.
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skillful use of a stratagem.
The salesperson's strategy was to seem always to agree with the customer.
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a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result.
a strategy for getting ahead in the world.
noun
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the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war; generalship
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a particular long-term plan for success, esp in business or politics Compare tactics
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a plan or stratagem
Usage
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.
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of strategy
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
Explanation
In the game of capture-the-flag, running toward your flag screaming is not a good strategy. A strategy is any plan you make to achieve a goal. The word strategy was developed to describe plans people made for war, and strategies often rely on certain chief assets––the British strategy for world domination relied on its naval superiority, our strategy for this game relies on the other team's poor level of fitness. After they're exhausted, we go for the goal.
Vocabulary lists containing strategy
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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List 4
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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:
Colette Kress, Nvidia’s new interim CEO, was berated by Huang this summer as a “reporting CFO” who couldn’t help set strategy, the WSJ reports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
It might be time for the party to rethink that particular strategy.
From Slate ● Nov. 13, 2026
James Green, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform, said the EU needed "an all-of-the-above strategy" on AI.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026
The long/short version of the momentum strategy has an even more pronounced reversal of fortunes between December and January.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
The strategy that Jefferson and Madison adopted was elegantly effective and thoroughly imperialistic.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Buckingham’s point was that most investors are better off sticking with their long-term strategies rather than reacting to headlines about inflation, Fed policy, elections or other events.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
More clients are moving to strategies where they are building a pot of cash to cover routine healthcare costs and taking coverage that guards just against truly catastrophic events, she said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
Differences in brain activity may also help explain why some children have persistent trouble choosing and changing problem-solving strategies.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
The asset manager expects to set a fundraising record this year, largely driven by strategies focused on the sector.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
You’re a little ball of soft meat with no shell or escape skills or battle strategies.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
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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.
