tradecraft

noun

trade·​craft ˈtrād-ˌkraft How to pronounce tradecraft (audio)
: the techniques and procedures of espionage

Examples of tradecraft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Experimenting in Prague and then in Berlin, Mr. Smith helped broaden the tradecraft of modern espionage, pioneering simple but effective techniques that CIA officers could use to evade detection in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 26 June 2024 The Pentagon’s audit concluded that the military’s primary contractor handling the campaign, General Dynamics IT, had employed sloppy tradecraft, taking inadequate steps to hide the origin of the fake accounts, said a person with direct knowledge of the review. Chris Bing and Joel Shectman, USA TODAY, 14 June 2024 Our intelligence and counterterrorism classes, for example, include practical training in professional tradecraft. Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2023 But our journalist heroes are on a mission, mercenaries of their tradecraft. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tradecraft 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tradecraft.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tradecraft was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near tradecraft

Cite this Entry

“Tradecraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradecraft. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.

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