strategy

UK: /ˈstrætədʒi/ US: /ˈstrætɪdʒi/ ,(strat′i jē)

Inflections of 'strategy' (n): npl: strategies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

strat•e•gy /ˈstrætɪdʒi/   n., pl. -gies. 

1. Military the science of planning and directing military operations:
   [uncountable] an expert in military strategy.
2. Military the use of or an instance of using this science or art:
   [countable] He has devised a strategy to defend the rocket launchers.
3. a plan or method for achieving any specific goal:
   [countable] a strategy for winning at bridge.
   [uncountable] At our next sales meeting we'll discuss strategy.

strat•e•gist, n. 

[countable] The mayor's top strategists urged him to begin campaigning harder.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

strat•e•gy  (strat′i jē), n., pl. -gies. 

1. Military Also, strategics. the science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.
2. Military the use or an instance of using this science or art.
3. skillful use of a stratagem:
   The salesperson's strategy was to seem always to agree with the customer.
4. a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result:
   a strategy for getting ahead in the world.

• Greek stratēgía generalship, equivalent. to stratēg(ós) military commander, general (strat(ós) army + -ēgos noun, nominal derivative of ágein to lead) + -ia -y³
• 1680–90

Synonyms

• 1. 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.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

strategy / ˈstrætɪdʒɪ/ noun ( -gies)

1. the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war; generalship
2. a particular long-term plan for success, esp in business or politics
   Compare tactics2
3. a plan or stratagem

Etymology: 17th Century: from French stratégie, from Greek stratēgia function of a general; see stratagem