- [usually before noun] connected with the particular method you use to achieve something
- tactical planning
- to have a tactical advantage
- Telling your boss you were looking for a new job was a tactical error (= it was the wrong thing to do at that time).
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- [usually before noun] carefully planned in order to achieve a particular aim
- a tactical decision
- [only before noun] (especially of weapons) used or having an effect over short distances or for a short time
- tactical weapons/missiles
- tactical nuclear weapons
- [only before noun] connected with military tactics
- He was given tactical command of the operation.
Word Originlate 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to military or naval tactics’): from Greek taktikos (from taktos ‘ordered, arranged’, from the base of tassein ‘arrange’) + -al.
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tactical