English · Word Candidate

tactical

/ˈtæktɪk(ə)l/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: tacticals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Of or relating to tactics.

Adjective

Examples

As in the 1-0 win against Norway in Oslo, this was an England performance built on the foundations of solid defence and tactical discipline.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Of or relating to military operations that are smaller or more local than strategic ones.

Adjective

Examples

tactical nuclear weapon

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A combinator of proof tactics.

Noun

Examples

The repeat that we use here is called a tactical, or tactic combinator. The behavior of repeat t is to loop through running t, running t on all generated subgoals, running t on their generated subgoals, and so on. When t fails at any point in this search tree, that particular subgoal is left to be h

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

A private war reenactment event involving mock battles or skirmishes.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “tactical” mean?

Of or relating to tactics.

Is “tactical” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.