tactful
Careful not to upset people with what you say or do.
tactful in a sentence
- Tactful as ever, Nina praised the wobbly cake before gently mentioning the salt.
- Be tactful when Grandpa shows you his paintings; smile and mention the bits you like best.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to tactful?
- Arude
- Bdiplomatic
- Cblunt
- Dthoughtless
Show the answer
B: diplomatic. The other three mean the opposite of tactful.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to tactful?
- Athoughtful
- Bdiplomatic
- Crude
- Dsensitive
Show the answer
C: rude. The other three mean nearly the same as tactful.
Words that mean something similar
diplomatic, thoughtful, sensitive
Words that mean the opposite
rude, blunt, thoughtless
More words about behaviour & manners
- tamper: To touch or change something you should not, often causing damage.
- tantrum: A sudden burst of angry, childish behaviour.
- traitor: Someone who betrays their friends, team or country.
- uncouth: Rude and bad-mannered.
- unorthodox: Unusual and different from the normal way of doing things.
- unruly: Wild and difficult to control.
- uphold: To support or defend something, such as a rule or belief.
- vile: Extremely unpleasant or nasty.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test