Illustration of tackle
- tackle 2b
1
: a set of the equipment used in a particular activity : gear
fishing tackle
2
a
: a ship's rigging
b
: an assemblage of ropes and pulleys arranged to gain mechanical advantage for hoisting and pulling
3
a
: the act or an instance of tackling
b(1)
: either of two offensive football players positioned on each side of the center and between guard and end
(2)
: either of two football players positioned on the inside of a defensive line
tackled; tackling
ˈta-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to seize, take hold of, or grapple with especially with the intention of stopping or subduing
b
: to seize and throw down or stop (an opposing player with the ball) in football
2
: to set about dealing with
tackle the problem
3
: to attach or secure with or as if with tackle
: to tackle an opposing player in football
Examples of tackle in a Sentence
Noun
a box for fishing tackle
He made two tackles in the first half.
Verb
The police officer tackled him as he tried to escape.
He was tackled at the line of scrimmage.
I'll tackle my homework later.
We found new ways to tackle the problem.
Recent Examples on the Web
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2025
Thomas started 25 games at left tackle during his final two years at Louisiana.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
When tackling complex data needs, proprietary databases can offer robust data management capabilities.
—Ann Schlemmer, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tackle
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Now, however, many observers believe the Chiefs may have their left tackle locked down for the foreseeable future.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2025
Thomas started 25 games at left tackle during his final two years at Louisiana.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
Newsweek has pulled together the main reasons birth rates are declining to build a detailed picture of the issue many governments are trying to tackle.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
When tackling complex data needs, proprietary databases can offer robust data management capabilities.
—Ann Schlemmer, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tackle
Cite this Entry
“Tackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tackle. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: a set of special equipment : gear
fishing tackle
2
: an arrangement of ropes and wheels for hoisting or pulling something heavy
3
a
: the act or an instance of tackling
b
: a football player who is positioned on the line of scrimmage and inside the ends
tackle
2 of 2 verb
tackled; tackling
ˈtak-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to seize or take hold of especially in order to stop or throw down
2
: to set about dealing with
tackle a problem
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