tact — skill 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

State the fact with a tactful act!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
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
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“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.”
“Politicians need tact to navigate sensitive social issues.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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