Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Good question, Diane! Offhand, I'd say it would depend on the context, sort of like "politics" or "economics." Was your friend talking about the specific logistics of accomplishing a particular thing, or the idea of logistics in general?

This is a really good question, the more I think about it, Diane. With a word like "politics," you'd use the singular if you're talking generally about the art or science of governing, as in, "Politics is show business for ugly people."

Otherwise, with "politics" and many other words ending in "-ics," either singular or plural can be correct. "Her politics are such that I can't stand to listen to her show."

So in this case of "logistics," I'd say it could go either way, and I'm not sure it's the predicate noun that's making the difference. If I were talking about moving a couch from a 14th-floor apartment, I think I'd probably say, "The logistics are a nightmare." (Of course, to be even safer, you could always change it to the future: "Logistics will be a nightmare.") 🙂