tact

American  

[takt] / tækt /

noun

1. a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

   Synonyms:

   poise, diplomacy, sensitivity, perception

2. a keen sense of what is appropriate, tasteful, or aesthetically pleasing; taste; discrimination.

3. touch or the sense of touch.

---

tact British  

/ tækt /

noun

1. a sense of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others, so as to avoid giving offence or to win good will; discretion

2. skill or judgment in handling difficult or delicate situations; diplomacy

---

Other Word Forms

• tactful
  adjective
• tactfully
  adverb
• tactfulness
  noun
• tactless
  adjective
• tactlessly
  adverb
• tactlessness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of tact

First recorded in 1150–1200; from Latin tāctus “sense of touch,” equivalent to tag-, variant stem of tangere “to touch” + -tus suffix of verbal action

Explanation

To talk carefully without hurting anyone’s feelings, that’s tact. Politicians have tact, which makes them good at speaking about sensitive matters without making fools of themselves. At least, sometimes they have tact. Around a friend who’s afraid of snakes, you use tact when talking about reptiles because you don’t want to upset them. The Latin root word tangere means “touch,” and a person with tact avoids touching dangerous words like they are an electric fence. When you say something without tact, you “put your foot in your mouth,” as the phrase goes. You don’t literally put your foot in your mouth, although if you did you’d avoid offending people with words.

Example Sentences

Edwards-Jones’ journalism background shows up — it’s well researched and presented with tact.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

Abbott later changed tact, removing references to the DOJ letter when he called lawmakers back for a second special session, after Democrats returned from their quorum break.

From Salon • Nov. 22, 2025

What distinguishes Mr. Zipperstein’s volume—composed with the tact of a historian who has read the archives and the novels with equal care—is how deliberately it resists the temptations that have undone earlier efforts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Since then, Arteta has changed tact - Arsenal now play with more control and are more considered in their build-up.

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

As they say in Cold Sassy, Aunt Loma was behind the door when they passed out the tact.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• common-sense
• discretion
• prudence
• refinement
• sensitivity
• subtlety