noun

tackle

/ˈtækəl/ · say it: TAK·uhl

to make determined efforts to deal with

In Actions & Behavior

In more detail

1. (noun) equipment or gear used for a sport or activity, especially fishing

2. (noun) the act of trying to stop an opponent in sports like football by knocking them down

3. (verb) to try to stop an opponent in sports by knocking them down

4. (verb) to start dealing with a problem or difficult task

Examples

1. He organized his fishing tackle neatly in the boat.
2. The player made a good tackle to prevent a goal.
3. The defender tackled the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

How to use tackle

As a noun, tackle typically refers to physical equipment or a defensive move in contact sports. As a verb, it can mean to physically stop an opponent or, more broadly, to begin addressing a challenge or difficulty with determination. The latter sense is common in formal and informal contexts alike.

Common phrases

fishing tackle
tackle a problem
tackle someone
tackle the issue
rugby tackle
football tackle

Synonyms

gear · equipment · address · confront · grapple with

Opposites

avoid · ignore · evade

Word family

tackler · tackled · tackling

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse the sports sense (physically stopping an opponent) with the problem-solving sense, or assume tackle always implies success when it often just means attempting to deal with something.

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