pragmatism

noun

prag·​ma·​tism ˈprag-mə-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce pragmatism (audio)
Synonyms of pragmatism
1
: a practical approach to problems and affairs
tried to strike a balance between principles and pragmatism
2
: an American movement in philosophy founded by C. S. Peirce and William James and marked by the doctrines that the meaning of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action, and that truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief
pragmatist
ˈprag-mə-tist How to pronounce pragmatism (audio)
adjective or noun
pragmatistic
ˌprag-mə-ˈti-stik How to pronounce pragmatism (audio)
adjective

Examples of pragmatism in a Sentence

To put it rather more crudely, he is trying to sell his integrationist and reformist agenda using traditionalist legal wrappings. It is, of course, this pragmatism, which sometimes comes across as slippery casuistry, that so annoys his critics. —Malise Ruthven, New York Review of Books, 16 Aug. 2007
These are books without slogans, manuals that favor subtlety over simplicity, moderation over bombast, pragmatism over ideology. —Jonathan Tepperman, New York Times Book Review, 16 Oct 2005
… compromise (or better yet, its spirit) symbolizes the necessary pragmatism expected of politics in a pluralist society. —Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings …, 1996
The right person for the job will balance vision with pragmatism.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Getting a new Middle East policy right requires rethinking the decision to prioritize relations with autocratic and lawless allies in the name of pragmatism. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Wednesday will be left to juggle expectations and pragmatism. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 An alternative theory to the Tea Party one is that the general sense of emergency in 2026 has led Democrats, and especially the rising young figures hoping to lead the Party, to embrace political pragmatism. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 26 July 2026 The fresh wind of pragmatism animating the Bancarella Prize—a book fair that exposed and celebrated the consumerist dimension of the book as object—pushed the boundaries of the publishing industry beyond the niches of its traditional readership. — Literary Hub, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pragmatism

Word History

Etymology

see pragmatic

First Known Use

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pragmatism was circa 1864

Rhymes for pragmatism

See All Rhymes for pragmatism

Browse Nearby Words

pragmatic sanction
pragmatism
pragmatist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pragmatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pragmatism. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pragmatism

noun
prag·​ma·​tism ˈprag-mə-ˌtiz-əm How to pronounce pragmatism (audio)
1
: a practical approach to problems and affairs
2
: a doctrine that truth is to be tested by the practical effects of belief
pragmatist
-mət-əst How to pronounce pragmatism (audio)
adjective or noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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