noun
tack
tak
noun
1
A short nail with a broad, flat head.
"He pinned the poster to the corkboard with a tack."
2
A change of course or approach, especially a new strategy after the old one stopped working.
"When sales dropped, the company decided to try a different tack."
"She took a gentler tack when explaining the mistake to the new hire."
3
The equipment used on a horse, such as a saddle and bridle.
"The stable hands cleaned all the tack after the ride."
verb
1
To turn a sailing boat so the wind switches from one side to the other, or more generally to fasten something loosely in place.
"The crew tacked to avoid the rocks ahead."
How to Use Tack
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: a small nail, a change in approach or direction, or horse-riding equipment.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "a different tack" (approach) with "a different tact" — the correct idiom is "tack," borrowed from sailing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
change tack
a different tack
thumb tack
horse tack
Word Forms
tacked past tense, tacks plural, tacks plural, tacks plural, Tacks plural, tacks singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “tack”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He pinned the poster to the corkboard with a _____.
Etymology
From Middle English tak/takke, meaning a hook or nail, from an Old Northern French word for a peg or pin.