tackle

American  

[tak-uhl, tey-kuhl] / ˈtæk əl, ˈteɪ kəl /

noun

1. equipment, apparatus, or gear, especially for fishing.

   fishing tackle.

2. a mechanism or apparatus, as a rope and block or a combination of ropes and blocks, for hoisting, lowering, and shifting objects or materials; purchase.

3. any system of leverage using several pulleys.

4. Nautical. the gear and running rigging for handling a ship or performing some task on a ship.

5. an act of tackling, as in football; a seizing, grasping, or bringing down.

6. Football.

   1. either of the linemen stationed between a guard and an end.

   2. the position played by this lineman.

7. (formerly) tack.

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verb (used with object)

tackled, tackling

1. to undertake to handle, master, solve, etc..

   to tackle a difficult problem.

2. to deal with (a person) on some problem, issue, etc.

3. to harness (a horse).

4. Football. to seize, stop, or throw down (a ball-carrier).

5. Soccer, Field Hockey. to block or impede the movement or progress of (an opponent having the ball) with the result of depriving the opponent of the ball.

6. to seize suddenly, especially in order to stop.

verb (used without object)

tackled, tackling

1. Football. to tackle an opponent having the ball.

tackle British  

/ ˈteɪkəl, ˈtækəl /

noun

1. any mechanical system for lifting or pulling, esp an arrangement of ropes and pulleys designed to lift heavy weights

2. the equipment required for a particular occupation, etc

   fishing tackle

3. nautical the halyards and other running rigging aboard a vessel

4. slang a man's genitals

5. sport a physical challenge to an opponent, as to prevent his progress with the ball

6. American football a defensive lineman

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verb

1. (tr) to undertake (a task, problem, etc)

2. (tr) to confront (a person, esp an opponent) with a difficult proposition

3. sport (esp in football games) to challenge (an opponent) with a tackle

Other Word Forms

• retackle verb (used with object)
• tackler noun

Etymology

Origin of tackle

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English takel “gear, apparatus,” from Middle Low German; akin to take

Example Sentences

There are fewer people in the bureau, which has offices dispersed across the country, and they’re trying to tackle the same scale of data as they do in normal times.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

This could give clues as to whether or not the Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates to tackle rising inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

At right tackle, the competition is wide open.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Birol said that the IEA’s agreed release of oil would not be sufficient to tackle current constraints.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

There are lots of books that tackle broad themes, that analyze the world from great remove.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• begin
• engage in
• take on
• try
• undertake
• work on