Meaning & use
tactful
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Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Careful and skillful in dealing with others so as to avoid giving offense.
Grammar: Used to describe a person or their words/actions; can be gradable (more tactful, most tactful).
Patterns
- tactful about something
- tactful in doing something
- it is tactful to do something
She was tactful when she told him his idea needed more work.
A tactful reply can prevent an argument.
He is always tactful about sensitive family matters.
Word forms
| comparative | more tactful |
|---|---|
| superlative | most tactful |
Common combinations
- tactful about
- She was tactful about his mistake and didn't mention it in public.
- tactful in
- He was tactful in handling the complaint.
- tactful reply
- Her tactful reply avoided hurting his feelings.
- tactful way
- There is a tactful way to say no.
Synonyms and how they differ
- diplomatic
- More formal and often suggests skill in dealing with people in official or tense situations; 'tactful' is more about everyday sensitivity.
- considerate
- Focuses on thinking about others' needs and feelings, while 'tactful' focuses on avoiding offense in what you say or do.
- discreet
- Emphasizes keeping secrets or being careful not to reveal private information; 'tactful' is broader.
Opposites
Word family
- tact noun
- The ability to avoid giving offense; 'tactful' is the adjective.
- tactfully adverb
- In a tactful manner.
- tactfulness noun
- The quality of being tactful.
Commonly confused: tactful or tactical?
tactful vs tactical
Tactical relates to tactics or strategy, especially in military or business contexts; tactful means showing sensitivity to others.
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'She gave a ______ answer that didn't hurt anyone's feelings.'
Choose one answer.
'Tactful' describes a person or reply that avoids giving offense. 'Tactical' means relating to strategy, 'tactlessly' is an adverb meaning without tact, and 'tactics' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tactful”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.