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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Cancer June 21 – July 22 Your big vision needs a practical next step. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2026 Returnships Offer an Untapped Reservoir of Experienced Talent One of the most practical, actionable insights from Fair Share is the concept of returnships. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 This pair comes in playful prints and colors while still feeling practical. — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026 Wiener has sought to position himself as a congressional candidate focused on practical public policy solutions without abandoning progressive ideology. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for practical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical
  1. useful
  2. pragmatic
  3. applicable
  4. realistic
  5. applied
Adjective
  • While useful for tracking expenditure and efficiency, simply counting tokens can be misleading.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • But in the same way that lines of code is not a reliable measure of engineering productivity and APM is a noisy proxy for gaming prowess, token use alone does not imply or guarantee useful, productive output.
    — Nnamdi Iregbulem, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of useful
Adjective
  • The more pragmatic camp argues that maintaining unity during the war requires addressing the public's unhappiness over the economy as well as political and social repression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Coming from someone responsible for one of the most consequential software projects on Earth, that feels like a fairly pragmatic assessment, not just hype.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of pragmatic
Adjective
  • Participants are solely responsible for creating and maintaining their Yahoo account and complying with Yahoo’s applicable terms of service.
    — The Athletic, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • If applicable, photos can be taken with low apertures, wide-angle lenses and tripods.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of applicable
Adjective
  • Be sure to give the full picture of everything on your plate, along with realistic estimates of how long projects will take.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Underwriting deals at realistic pricing and verifying insurability before acquisition were among the recommendations cited in the report for investors operating in markets with elevated carrying costs.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • The next major power center in applied AI could be Stockholm.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • As artificial intelligence expands across K-12 schools, Massachusetts announced a new $500,000 public-private investment in AI applied learning opportunities for hundreds of students, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced Tuesday.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 22 July 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of practical for Spanish Speakers

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