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
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
Baltimore Ravens: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington Original pick: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
After coming off the bench to start the year, Rosengarten seamlessly moved into Baltimore’s starting lineup at right tackle and wound up having a very good rookie season opposite Ronnie Stanley.
—Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Janeé Bolden, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
Smoking and the use of tobacco products contribute to both chronic disease and cancer -- and the offices tackling those issues are among those that were gutted in Kennedy's recent moves.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 4 Apr. 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
Horton, who had four tackles in his UM career, was injured during spring practice and did not participate in Saturday’s spring game.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
Baltimore Ravens: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington Original pick: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
After coming off the bench to start the year, Rosengarten seamlessly moved into Baltimore’s starting lineup at right tackle and wound up having a very good rookie season opposite Ronnie Stanley.
—Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
Despite their expertise, the couple is currently tackling their own Frankenhouse.
—Janeé Bolden, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025
Smoking and the use of tobacco products contribute to both chronic disease and cancer -- and the offices tackling those issues are among those that were gutted in Kennedy's recent moves.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 4 Apr. 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 18 Apr. 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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