practical

[ prak-ti-kuhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to practice or action:

   practical mathematics.

   Synonyms: pragmatic

2. consisting of, involving, or resulting from practice or action:

   a practical application of a rule.

3. of, relating to, or concerned with ordinary activities, business, or work:

   a habitual dreamer, who can't be bothered with practical affairs.

4. adapted or designed for actual use; useful:

   practical instructions.

5. engaged or experienced in actual practice or work:

   a practical politician credited with much legislation.

6. inclined toward or fitted for actual work or useful activities:

   looking for a practical person to fill this position.

7. mindful of the results, usefulness, advantages or disadvantages, etc., of action or procedure.

   Antonyms: foolish, unwise, imprudent, ill-advised

8. matter-of-fact; prosaic.
9. being such in practice or effect; virtual:

   Her promotion to manager is a practical certainty.

10. Theater. practicable ( def 3 ).

practical

/ ˈpræktɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, involving, or concerned with experience or actual use; not theoretical
2. of or concerned with ordinary affairs, work, etc
3. adapted or adaptable for use
4. of, involving, or trained by practice
5. being such for all useful or general purposes; virtual

noun

1. an examination in the practical skills of a subject

   a science practical

Usage

A distinction is usually made between practical and practicable. Practical refers to a person, idea, project, etc, as being more concerned with or relevant to practice than theory: he is a very practical person; the idea had no practical application. Practicable refers to a project or idea as being capable of being done or put into effect: the plan was expensive, yet practicable

Derived Forms

• ˌpractiˈcality, noun

Other Words From

• prac·ti·cal·i·ty [prak-ti-, kal, -i-tee], prac·ti·cal·ness noun
• non·prac·ti·cal adjective
• non·prac·ti·cal·ly adverb
• non·prac·ti·cal·ness noun
• pre·prac·ti·cal adjective
• qua·si-prac·ti·cal adjective
• qua·si-prac·ti·cal·ly adverb
• sem·i·prac·ti·cal adjective
• ul·tra·prac·ti·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of practical¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English. See practic, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of practical¹

C17: from earlier practic, from French pratique, via Late Latin from Greek praktikos, from prassein to experience, negotiate, perform

Idioms and Phrases

see to all intents and (for all practical) purposes .

Synonym Study

Practical, judicious, sensible refer to good judgment in action, conduct, and the handling of everyday matters. Practical suggests the ability to adopt means to an end or to turn what is at hand to account: to adopt practical measures for settling problems. Judicious implies the possession and use of discreet judgment, discrimination, and balance: a judicious use of one's time. Sensible implies the possession and use of sound reason and shrewd common sense: a sensible suggestion.

Example Sentences

The law will have little practical effect, since Los Angeles already draws a line between city officials and immigration enforcement.

From Los Angeles Times

This would put a set of restrictions on new drivers who have recently passed their practical test for an initial period of time.

From BBC

At the time the justice secretary said a consultation process had revealed "significant practical difficulties" but she was still committed to considering changes to the rules for long-term prisoners.

From BBC

The practical consequences of each measure can differ from state to state.

From Los Angeles Times

Notably, the catalyst requires only minimal amounts of magnetic materials -- up to seven orders of magnitude less than previous approaches -- making it both safer and more practical for large-scale applications.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• businesslike
• constructive
• down-to-earth
• efficient
• factual
• feasible
• functional
• possible
• practicable
• pragmatic
• rational
• reasonable
• sane
• sensible
• sober
• workable