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pragmatic
[ prag-mat-ik ]
adjective
- of or relating to a practical point of view or practical considerations.
- Philosophy. of or relating to pragmatism ( def 2 ).
- of or relating to pragmatics ( def 1, 2 ).
- treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions, and results.
- of or relating to the affairs of state or community.
- Archaic.
- busy; active.
- officious; meddlesome; interfering.
- dogmatic; opinionated.
noun
- Archaic. an officious or meddlesome person.
pragmatic
/ præɡˈmætɪk /
adjective
- advocating behaviour that is dictated more by practical consequences than by theory or dogma
- philosophy of or relating to pragmatism
- involving everyday or practical business
- of or concerned with the affairs of a state or community
- rare.interfering or meddlesome; officious
Derived Forms
- pragˌmatiˈcality, noun
- pragˈmatically, adverb
Other Words From
- prag·mati·cali·ty prag·mati·cal·ness noun
- prag·mati·cal·ly adverb
- anti·prag·matic adjective
- anti·prag·mati·cal adjective
- anti·prag·mati·cal·ly adverb
- nonprag·matic adjective noun
- nonprag·mati·cal adjective
- nonprag·mati·cal·ly adverb
- unprag·matic adjective
- unprag·mati·cal adjective
- unprag·mati·cal·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of pragmatic1
Word History and Origins
Origin of pragmatic1
Example Sentences
But, as far as I can discern, they do focused, pragmatic work.
Chase supplements this general directive with some more pragmatic suggestions for women looking to find sexual fulfillment.
Mixner, both passionate and pragmatic, found a focus in his activism.
Fairchild considers herself a pragmatic liberal—a registered Democrat and “kind of a boring moderate.”
The aim is very pragmatic and much less idealistic than, say, similar protests in Egypt or Turkey in the last few years.
Which runs directly into the throat of said Pragmatic Sanction; and engages to make it, mere waste sheepskin, so to speak!
His father had guaranteed the pragmatic sanction, but as the conditions on which the guarantee had Frederick the Great.
The operation once accomplished on its own Pragmatic Covenant, France found no difficulty with the others.
Pragmatic Sanction like to be ruined; and Walpole furiously thrown out: what a pair of sorrows for poor George!
It is pragmatic; the patient is taught that his thinking is a way of functioning; that ideas are instruments, ways of acting.
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More About Pragmatic
What does pragmatic mean?
Pragmatic means practical, especially when making decisions.
The word pragmatic is often contrasted with the word idealistic, which means based on or having high principles or ideals. Pragmatic, on the other hand, means based on real world conditions or circumstances—considering what can realistically be done as opposed to the best theoretical course of action. A person who acts pragmatically can be called a pragmatist.
The noun form of pragmatic is pragmatism. Pragmatism can mean the practice of being pragmatic, but it can also more specifically refer to the philosophical movement that emphasizes practical consequences in the determination of meaning, truth, or value.
Example: We need a candidate who’s pragmatic and can get things done in the real world—not some idealist who will never compromise.
Where does pragmatic come from?
The first records of the word pragmatic come from the 1580s. It comes from the Greek pragmatikós, meaning “practical,” from pragma, meaning “act,” from prā́ssein, “to do.” The words practical and praxis derive from the same root.
Idealistic people are sometimes told they need to be more pragmatic. Typically, this means that they should focus on the realistic options or courses of action (the pragmatic ones) instead of only trying to achieve the best-case scenario—the one based on their ideals. Of course, many people navigate life with a balance of pragmatism and idealism: sometimes they compromise, and sometimes they stick to their principles no matter what.
The word pragmatic isn’t always contrasted with idealistic. Sometimes, it’s just used as a way of describing something as practical, logical, or sensible. The word is most often applied to people, actions, or plans.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to pragmatic?
- pragmatism (noun)
- pragmatist (noun)
- pragmatically (adverb)
What are some synonyms for pragmatic?
What are some words that share a root or word element with pragmatic?
What are some words that often get used in discussing pragmatic?
How is pragmatic used in real life?
Pragmatic is commonly used in a positive way to praise choices or actions that are considered practical and reasonable. It’s often applied to political positions or actions.
I hate Twitter takes. Almost no one that you actually see on the timeline takes a pragmatic, middle of the road position (that takes arguments from each side into account) because it doesn’t get as much engagement & therefore isn’t rewarded by the timeline Algorithm.
— Robotbeat🗽🖖🏾 (@Robotbeat) May 9, 2020
ideal product leader's ethos:
super optimistic about future, pragmatic about progress, paranoid about the present, unencumbered by the past.— scott belsky (@scottbelsky) May 8, 2020
Education and career opportunities of our students are under threat. Governments need to be pragmatic to promote them based on their past performance and waive their tuition fees. We must also adhere to the academic calendar using technological solutions #WaiveFeePromoteStudents
— Congress Sevadal (@CongressSevadal) May 11, 2020
Try using pragmatic!
Which of the following words is LEAST like to describe an action considered pragmatic?
A. realistic
B. sensible
C. utilitarian
D. idealistic
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