tactful

adjective

tact·ful ˈtakt-fəl

Synonyms of tactful

: having or showing tact

tactfully

ˈtakt-fə-lē

adverb

tactfulness noun

Examples of tactful in a Sentence

He gave a tactful critique of her story. It was tactful of her not to criticize me in front of my boss.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

However, as much as Hal’s gut points him in the right direction, Kerry proves to be a step ahead of her Lantern guests once more (and far more tactful, too). — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 His team was very tactful and my musician team was very patient. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 20 July 2026 That includes not wanting to help people through tactful honesty. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026 While that wasn’t necessarily the most tactful assessment, given the volume of live games that still air on FS1 and TBS (and, yes, ESPN), Manfred’s take wasn’t at odds with the facts on the ground. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tactful

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of tactful was in 1864

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Browse Nearby Words

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tactful

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Tactful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactful. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tactful

adjective

tact·ful ˈtakt-fəl

: having or showing tact

tactfully

-fə-lē

adverb

tactfulness noun

tactful

adjective

Synonyms of tactful

Examples of tactful in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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