strategic
/strəˈtiːdʒɪk
/adjective
1Relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them: strategic planning for the organization is the responsibility of top management...
- Those last-minute creative rushes bring a vibrancy and an energy to catwalk presentations that no amount of strategic planning can ever achieve.
- As yet, however, there is little evidence of strategic planning to achieve such a framework.
- The outcome is transparency to all stakeholders that is systematically incorporated as part of the overall strategic planning and business operations process.
Synonyms
planned, calculated, deliberate;
tactical, politic, judicious, prudent, clever, shrewd, well thought out
1.1Designed or planned to serve a particular purpose: alarms are positioned at strategic points around the prison...
- The systems world provides management designs, strategic and tactical actions, policies, and procedures.
- A year after the group's last strategic overhaul, the plan appears to be another attempt to turn around the newspapers.
- Downing Street denies the allegation, but the tenor and content of the chatter in the days leading up to their departure reveal some form of strategic plan directed towards engineering a tangible return from the visit.
2Relating to the gaining of overall or long-term military advantage: Newark Castle was of strategic importance British strategic and commercial interests...
- In the 15th century artillery emerged as a strategic weapons system.
- They became too much an organ of the Nazi Party and were used more for its own ends than to help fulfil strategic military objectives.
- The militants intend to take further advantage of a wider information operations campaign as a strategic weapon.
2.1(Of human or material resources) essential in fighting a war: a large strategic air force...
- This is a priceless strategic resource, and the Army's major contribution today to the formulation of national strategy.
- I found that Michael Klare has written an uneven but topical text on strategic resources.
- For Japan, the South China Sea and the waters off Taiwan are vital for transporting oil and other important strategic resources.
Synonyms
essential, key, vital, crucial, critical, important
2.2(Of bombing or weapons) done or for use against industrial areas and communication centres of enemy territory as a long-term military objective: strategic nuclear missiles...Often contrasted with tactical.
- Several decades ago, the USSR developed nuclear weapons and strategic missiles.
- During the Cold War, the threat of strategic attack using nuclear weapons dominated air force war planning.
- Prior to WWII air power advocates considered strategic bombing to be key to breaking enemy production capacity and civilian morale.
Derivatives
strategical
/ adjective ...- As Deputy Chair, Johnson will advise the DNC Chairman and staff in many key areas, including political and media strategical planning and community outreach.
- ‘I hope China will improve on their strategical combination,’ he said.
- At this point in time, it is highly unlikely anyone has all the strategical and tactical answers certain to lead to entirely satisfactory outcomes.
Origin
Early 19th century: from French stratégique, from Greek stratēgikos, from stratēgos (see stratagem).