Political Strategy Vocabulary

noun an action or activity of rubbing or scratching someone's back as a gesture of affection or intimacy

• In some cultures, back scratching is considered a gesture of goodwill and friendship.
• I'll give you a back scratching if you help me with this project.
• Hey, can you do me a solid and give me a back scratching?
• Political back scratching often leads to compromises and alliances in government.

noun a position in which a player's king is in check and there is no way to remove the threat, resulting in the player losing the game

verb to place (an opponent's king) under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus winning the game

• After a series of strategic moves, the player finally achieved checkmate.
• Ha! Checkmate, buddy!
• I totally checkmated him in that game.
• Her argument was so strong, it was like delivering a checkmate to her opponent.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'deniable' describes something that can be denied

• The government claimed that the evidence was deniable and could not be used against them in court.
• He said the email was deniable, but we all know he was the one who sent it.
• She tried to make her involvement deniable, but everyone saw her at the scene of the crime.
• His actions were like a deniable shadow, always present but never acknowledged.

verb to support or reinforce something, especially a structure or institution, in order to prevent collapse or failure

• The government decided to shore up the economy by implementing new policies.
• We need to shore up our defenses before the big game.
• Let's shore up our plans for the party this weekend.
• He tried to shore up his argument with more evidence.

noun a person who lacks foresight or understanding

adjective lacking foresight or understanding; narrow-minded

• The company's decision to cut costs by reducing research and development was shortsighted.
• I think it's shortsighted to only focus on short-term gains without considering long-term consequences.
• It's pretty shortsighted to skip studying for the exam just because it's open book.
• Being shortsighted in your career goals can limit your potential for growth and success.

noun the quality of being clever, astute, and showing good judgement in practical matters

• Her shrewdness in business negotiations helped her secure a profitable deal.
• His shrewdness in picking stocks made him a lot of money in the stock market.
• She's got some serious shrewdness when it comes to getting what she wants.
• The detective's shrewdness in solving the case was unmatched.

noun a horse or a figure of a horse behind which a hunter conceals himself

• The company used a stalking horse bid to test the market before officially putting the business up for sale.
• I heard they're using a stalking horse strategy to see how much interest there is in the property.
• They're putting out a stalking horse offer to see if anyone bites.
• The new policy was seen as a stalking horse for more drastic changes to come.

noun a refusal to change one's position or opinion

verb to refuse to change one's position or opinion

• The company decided to stand pat on their current pricing strategy.
• I think we should just stand pat and not make any changes for now.
• Let's just stand pat and see how things play out.
• Sometimes it's best to just stand pat and trust that things will work out in the end.

adjective describing something that is related to or involves subversion, undermining, or sabotage

• The artist's subversionary approach challenged societal norms and expectations.
• She has a subversionary sense of humor that always keeps us on our toes.
• His subversionary style is totally rad, dude.
• The politician's subversionary tactics were like a chess game, always one step ahead.

noun a combination of two nouns used to describe the act of engaging in complex and often secretive negotiations or transactions

• The business executive was known for his skill in wheeling and dealing to secure lucrative deals.
• I heard that the boss has been wheeling and dealing to get us a better office space.
• The car salesman is always wheeling and dealing to make a sale.
• In the world of politics, there is a lot of wheeling and dealing behind closed doors.

noun The word 'ultima ratio' is a noun, referring to the final argument or resource in a dispute or difficulty.

• The ultima ratio is the final argument in a debate or discussion.
• When all else fails, the ultima ratio is to walk away.
• In a street fight, the ultima ratio is to hit them where it hurts.
• For him, the ultima ratio is to always follow his gut instinct.

verb to adapt or use something as a weapon

• The military sought to weaponize the new technology for strategic advantage.
• Some people try to weaponize their words during arguments.
• Gangs often weaponize social media to intimidate their rivals.
• She knew how to weaponize her charm to get what she wanted.