strategy
Americannoun
plural
strategies-
Also the science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.
-
the use or an instance of using this science or art.
-
skillful use of a stratagem.
The salesperson's strategy was to seem always to agree with the customer.
-
a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result.
a strategy for getting ahead in the world.
noun
-
the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war; generalship
-
a particular long-term plan for success, esp in business or politics Compare tactics
-
a plan or stratagem
Usage
What is strategy? A strategy is a plan or method put in place to achieve a goal or result, as in Blanca’s strategy for passing the test was to study every night until test day.Strategy can refer to the use of tactics in the planning of military operations, usually to succeed in a battle or war. In a military context, a strategy can refer to an overall plan, a specific or broad goal, or the execution of said plan or goal.Strategy can also refer to the use of a strategy to meet a goal, as in The only way to win a war is with a solid strategy.Example: Their strategy was to distract the enemy and then sneak in from behind.
Related Words
In military usage, a distinction is made between strategy and tactics. Strategy is the utilization, during both peace and war, of all of a nation's forces, through large-scale, long-range planning and development, to ensure security or victory. Tactics deals with the use and deployment of troops in actual combat.
Other Word Forms
- counterstrategy noun
Etymology
Origin of strategy
First recorded in 1680–90; from Greek stratēgía “generalship,” equivalent to stratēg(os) “military commander, general” ( strat(ós) “army” + -ēgos, noun derivative of ágein “to lead”) + -ia -y 3
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The president’s strategy is coherent and prudent: By systematically pressuring exposed adversaries, the influence of strategic rivals is undercut.
Vietnam has set ambitious double-digit growth targets for the next five years, with expansion of the digital economy a key part of its development strategy.
From Barron's
To address the discrepancy, Dr. Rossi and her colleagues used a two part strategy.
From Science Daily
The approach relies on a strategy called chemogenetics, which allows researchers to control cells using specific chemical signals.
From Science Daily
These viruses have compact genomes and rely on simple strategies to kill bacteria.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
