practical

adjective

ˈprak-ti-kəl How to pronounce practical (audio)
Definition of practicalnext
1
as in useful
capable of being put to use or account a practical and simple solution for the town's waste disposal she has some practical information on sightseeing in San Francisco

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly a practical caseworker who doesn't spend a lot of time philosophizing while doing social work in the inner city

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of practical Developed in partnership with Discovery Education, a cross-curricular supplemental resource, the program equips students with practical clothing repair and customization skills, from sewing a button to patching a hole or tailoring a hem. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 When regulations begin to overlap, permitting and building are jeopardized through financial and practical burdens. — Bennett Lawson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026 Oddly, a practical glitch led to one of the evening’s most magical moments. — Joe Lynch, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026 Different views on the topic Some users and reviewers say Muse can take on practical, time-consuming tasks. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for practical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical
  1. useful
  2. pragmatic
  3. applicable
  4. realistic
  5. applied
Adjective
  • Her special talent was to make historic gardening techniques and designs accessible for the average gardener, championing the potager—which combines flowers with useful, edible plants—and creating gardens for Elton John and the then Prince of Wales.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Broad-spectrum antiseptic rinses do not distinguish between the useful bacteria and the problematic ones.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of useful
Adjective
  • While efforts to make pragmatic appeals on immigration have mostly failed to move the President, the Salvadoran case was different.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The scout, herself an alum of the contest, sees Ericka as the best way for Ghana to get attention, and the tables begin to turn on Paulina to the chagrin of the caring if pragmatic headmistress, Francis (Heather Alicia Simms).
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of pragmatic
Adjective
  • The court's conservative majority has, in multiple cases, ruled in favor of religious exemptions from generally applicable laws.
    — Nina Totenberg, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The taxation of payments depends on the trust’s income and the applicable ordering rules, so the payments should not automatically be considered tax-free.
    — D. Scott Kenik, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of applicable
Adjective
  • This was a back-door effort to coerce Detroit to phase out the internal combustion engine, as the only realistic way car makers could meet the requirement was to massively expand their EV or hybrid inventories.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The center is designed to develop and train humanoids specifically for public safety applications, with engineers using realistic environments and mock-ups to test the machines and collect training data.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • Its analysis found that 74% of those mentions were tied to real-world projects rather than coursework, an indication students are trying to demonstrate their applied experience.
    — Corynn Winston, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • By combining aluminum’s low weight with a pre-applied coating, the company is targeting a way to make battery components easier to manufacture while meeting durability and insulation requirements.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of applied

Phrases Containing practical

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practicable
practical
practicality
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Cite this Entry

“Practical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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