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tactskill in dealing with people or situations without offending or upsetting them

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: skill in dealing with people or situations without offending or upsetting them

Pronunciation (IPA): /tækt/

Example Sentences

  • He told his friend about the haircut disaster with remarkable tact: 'It's very... modern!'
  • The manager used tact when discussing the employee's performance issues.
  • She tactfully avoided mentioning that her mother-in-law's cooking tasted like cardboard.

tact

NOUN

[/tækt/]

skill in dealing with people or situations without offending or upsetting them

Handling awkward moments with grace
💡 Concept

Handling awkward moments with grace

State the fact with a tactful act!
🎵 Rhyme

State the fact with a tactful act!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/tækt/
🇬🇧 UK/tækt/

🌳Etymology

Roottact

Origin

From Latin 'tactus', the past participle of 'tangere' meaning 'to touch'. The word evolved to mean skill in handling situations delicately, as if touching matters with care.

Breakdown

Latin 'tactus' (touched, handling) from 'tangere' (to touch) = tact (skill in dealing with people without offense)

🎵Rhyme

factactpact
fact
act
pact

🔗Collocations

show tact
lack tact
diplomatic tact
with great tact
tact and diplomacy
require tact

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

He told his friend about the haircut disaster with remarkable tact: 'It's very... modern!'

The manager used tact when discussing the employee's performance issues.

😄 Fun example

She tactfully avoided mentioning that her mother-in-law's cooking tasted like cardboard.

Politicians need tact to navigate sensitive social issues.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

diplomacydiscretionsensitivityfinessedelicacy

Antonyms

tactlessnessinsensitivitybluntness

Related

tactfultactlesstacticalcontactintact

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