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• tactic
  tactic

  noun

  tactics.
• -tactic
  -tactic

  combining form

  having a specified kind of pattern or arrangement or having an orientation determined by a specified force

tactic

American  

[tak-tik] / ˈtæk tɪk /

noun

• tactics
  plural

1. tactics.

2. a system or a detail of tactics.

3. a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or result.

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adjective

1. of or relating to arrangement or order; tactical.

-tactic ¹ British  

combining form

1. having a specified kind of pattern or arrangement or having an orientation determined by a specified force

   syndiotactic

   phototactic

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tactic ² British  

/ ˈtæktɪk /

noun

1. a piece of tactics; tactical move See also tactics

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nontactic
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tactics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tactic

First recorded in 1560–70; New Latin tacticus, from Greek taktikós “fit for arranging or ordering,” from tak-, base of tássein ( Attic táttein ) “to arrange, put in order” + -tikos -tic

Explanation

Tactic is another word for a maneuver or method. If begging doesn't convince your parents to raise your allowance, you might want to try a different tactic—like doing all your chores without being asked. English-speakers have been talking about tactics since at least 1640, when this word was first recorded. A tactic is just a way to do something, a plan, or an approach. Generals have to have a good grasp on military tactics to win a battle; football teams have to use strong defensive tactics to keep the other guys from scoring. One time-tested tactic for winning over a teacher? Always turn your homework in on time!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tactic tactics

The U.S. also has put a naval blockade on Iran, stopping its oil shipments, as a pressure tactic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The relocation campaign echoes a tactic used by software giant Oracle Corp., co-founded by Ellison’s billionaire father, Larry Ellison.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

It was a tactic that worked with the Red Roses.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

White nets stretch high across the front of brick buildings in Pakistan's northern border region, a tactic borrowed from the Ukrainian battlefield to protect police against the latest militant threat -- drones.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

He also knew that such postcards were another Nazi tactic to deceive the Jews.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

There have, however, been deliberate changes in tactics and personnel, with the 53-year-old Tuchel looking to refine his blueprint rather than rewrite it from scratch.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Few but the utterly guileless will be taken in by this, but the tactics available to Mr. Pineda still have the capacity to create tension, maybe even chills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

She supports equipping immigrant agents with training to enforce the law professionally and rejects enforcement tactics that “undermine public trust and confidence in our institutions.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

And that disconnect between players' skillsets and tactics could help explain some dropped points.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

This is the case even among those, like Bostick, who have every reason to resist these tactics because they actually have something to hide.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• ploy