change tack

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English

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Alternative forms

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Verb

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change tack (third-person singular simple present changes tack, present participle changing tack, simple past and past participle changed tack)

  1. (nautical) To change course or heading.
    Synonym: switch tack
  2. (figurative, by extension) To take a different approach.
    Synonym: switch tack
    • 2008 January 21, Brian Stelter, “MySpace changes tack to expand”, in The New York Times[1], →ISSN:
      So MySpace has changed tack. What was seen as a competitor to traditional media platforms is starting to resemble one.
    • 2018 July 15, Jonathan Jurejko, “Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon by beating Kevin Anderson”, in BBC Sport[2]:
      Anderson rarely ventured forward in the opening two sets, coming to the net on seven occasions, before changing tack and making 14 approaches in the final set alone.
    • 2021 October 20, Ben Jones, “The benefits of (and barriers to) more leisure travel by rail”, in RAIL, number 942, page 32:
      Industry experts are concerned that if the railway doesn't change tack, it would soon find itself out of step with the needs of the nation and in the crosshairs of a Treasury looking to slash spending.

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