a questionable tactic

USAGE SUMMARY

"a questionable tactic" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing strategies or methods that may be ethically or morally dubious. For example, "The team's use of a questionable tactic raised concerns among the fans." Alternative expressions include "dubious approach" and "suspect method."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Playing the class-war card against someone like Mr. Moritz is a questionable tactic.

The New York Times

A questionable tactic used by Citigroup and several other banks was at the heart of the Stoker case.

The New York Times

Mr. Burton also said that going deeper into debt to solve an immediate fiscal problem was a "questionable" tactic.

The New York Times

Nonetheless, critics declared his windfall to be provocative and a questionable tactic on the part of the shareholders, to say the least, just when Mr Joyce was preaching wage restraint for others.Signs have since emerged that Qantas had harboured contingency plans for some time to ground its entire fleet in a final bid to defeat the unions.

The Economist

Chait exploits the eccentricities of this gang to cast doubt on their economics, a questionable tactic, but he rightly observes that the Laffer curve, better known now as supply-side economics, was promoted mostly by opinion writers and not by mainstream economists.

The New York Times

It was the only time the Lions set up camp in Australia's 22. Their tactic for the most part was not to run the ball in their own territory and play the game within range of Halfpenny's boot but Youngs's box-kicking tended to be under or overdone – and it was a questionable tactic anyway given the proficiency of Australia's back three under the high ball.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

There was an intent from both sides to play with width from the outset, which was a more questionable tactic against Saracens, whose defensive line was straight and firm, than Harlequins, who all too quickly lost their shape.

The Guardian - Sport

Noise, as most psychologists will confirm, can make you crazy, and the use of noise bombardment as torture seemed a useful, albeit questionable, tactic in the CIA's bag of rendition tricks when trying to extract confessions from terrorist subjects.

Huffington Post

"This hearing is a questionable campaign tactic," he said.

The New York Times

Depending on the ownership and executive staff at the time of these incidents, the company's responses to these challenges have ranged from a conciliatory dialog with its critics and litigants, to a more aggressive opposition with questionable tactics and negative consequences.

Wikipedia

Police acknowledged that an in-car video revealed "questionable tactics and improper comments" by police during Thomas' arrest.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a questionable tactic" when you want to express skepticism about a method without definitively labeling it as 'wrong' or 'illegal', allowing for a more nuanced critique.

Common error

Do not use this phrase to describe a simple mistake or a lapse in judgment. A tactic implies a deliberate, planned choice made to achieve a specific goal.

Linguistic Context

This is a noun phrase composed of an indefinite article, an adjective, and a noun. It typically functions as the subject complement or the direct object in a sentence. According to Ludwig AI, it is primarily used to provide a critical evaluation of a specific method or action.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Academia

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "a questionable tactic" is a highly effective phrase for describing deliberate actions that exist in a gray area of ethics or efficacy. Ludwig AI shows that the phrase is a favorite among journalists and analysts when discussing political maneuvers, corporate strategies and sportsmanship. It is grammatically standard and carries a tone of sophisticated skepticism. When using this phrase, ensure that the action being described is indeed a deliberate strategy rather than an accidental error. Its frequent appearance in top-tier publications like The New York Times and The Economist confirms its status as a reliable tool for professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a dubious method

Uses a more formal adjective to suggest a lack of reliability or honesty

a suspect strategy

Focuses on the suspicious nature of the underlying plan rather than just the action

a controversial approach

Shifts focus to the public debate or disagreement surrounding the method

a shady maneuver

Significantly more informal and implies a higher degree of deceit

an unethical practice

Provides a stronger moral judgment than simply calling it questionable

a risky gambit

Emphasizes the danger of failure rather than the moral ambiguity

a problematic technique

A more academic or analytical way to describe an issue with the method

a borderline move

Suggests the action is on the very edge of being unacceptable or illegal

a sneaky play

Often used in sports or casual contexts to describe clever but slightly unfair actions

a manipulative scheme

Implicitly accuses the actor of trying to control others through deception

FAQs

How do I use "a questionable tactic" in a sentence?

You can use it as a subject or object to evaluate a strategy, for example: "Relying solely on last-minute discounts is "a questionable tactic" for long-term growth."

What is a more formal way to say "a questionable tactic"?

In professional or legal contexts, you might prefer phrases like "<a href="/s/a+dubious+method" target="_blank" rel="alternative">a dubious method" or "<a href="/s/an+unethical+strategy" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unethical strategy".

Can "a questionable tactic" be used in sports?

Yes, it is frequently used by commentators to describe moves that might be legal but go against the spirit of the game, such as "<a href="/s/time-wasting" target="_blank" rel="alternative">time-wasting".

What's the difference between "a questionable tactic" and "a wrong move"?

While "<a href="/s/a+wrong+move" target="_blank" rel="alternative">a wrong move" usually implies a failure in execution or logic, "a questionable tactic" focuses on the ethics or the cleverness of the plan itself.