ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tactic

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈtæktɪk// UK //tˈæktɪk// tac·tic Archaic

n. a specific action or plan you use to reach a goal. It is often a clever way to handle a difficult situation or win a game.

n. a specific action or procedure planned and executed to achieve a particular end. Often distinguished from strategy by its focus on immediate, short-term maneuvers rather than long-term objectives.


SIMPLE

The team used a new tactic to win the match.

CONTEXTUAL

The marketing department tried a different tactic by offering free samples to people in the street.

COMPLEX

While the overall strategy remained defensive, the general employed a series of aggressive tactics to disrupt the enemy's supply lines and force a premature retreat.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from New Latin tactica, from Ancient Greek τακτικός (taktikós, “fit for ordering”), from τάσσω (tássō, “to order, to arrange”).

Usage

Commonly used in military, sporting, and business contexts; often appears in the plural form 'tactics' when referring to a general approach.

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