Do you change tack or tact? Although some believe the word tact is short for tactics in phrases like "change tact" or "try a different tact," the correct word in such contexts is tack.

TACK definition: a short, sharp-pointed nail, usually with a flat, broad head. See examples of tack used in a sentence.

Define tack. tack synonyms, tack pronunciation, tack translation, English dictionary definition of tack. n. 1. A short, light nail with a sharp point and a flat head.

TACK definition: 1. a small, sharp nail with a flat end 2. a long, loose stitch 3. all the objects that the rider of…. Learn more.

If you tack pieces of material together, you sew them together with big, loose stitches in order to hold them firmly or check that they fit, before sewing them properly.

Feb 21, 2026 · tack (third-person singular simple present tacks, present participle tacking, simple past and past participle tacked) (transitive) To nail (something) with a tack (small nail with a flat head).

Naval Terms to change the course of a sailing vessel by bringing the head into the wind and then causing it to fall off on the other side: He ordered us to tack at once.

A tack is a small, sharp pin or nail with a wide head. You can use tacks to attach your flyers to the telephone poles in your neighborhood.

TACK meaning: 1 : a small, sharp nail usually with a wide, flat head; 2 : thumbtack

Phrasal verb tack on (Definition of tack from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)