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 Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the Golden State is offset by the graphic body horror of the whale’s innards, built on practical sets by production designer Ramsey Avery and lit by bioluminescence. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 To underscore the metaphor, Duffield recorded Brolin’s heartbeat before filming began and played it throughout Abrams’ two months inside the claustrophobic, practical whale-stomach sets. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 One practical way to build those skills is to make AI output part of the learning process. — Samir Dutta, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The amendment would make no practical change to how North Carolinians vote, said Marcus Gadson, an associate professor of law at the UNC School of Government. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 16 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
  • Apple Vision Pro proved particularly useful for judging the scale of sets before physical construction.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • As Japan entered a period of political upheaval in the mid-nineteenth century, criminal gangs became useful in a new way.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of useful
Adjective
  • Other executives describe him as pragmatic, meticulous, and unifying.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Barkov, a workout fiend, is taking a pragmatic approach to his latest injury.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pragmatic
Adjective
  • Tesla still needs to prove the Roadster can be manufactured reliably and meet applicable regulations.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • According to Vertical, the LCR-110 meets applicable EASA and Federal Aviation Administration technical standards for inertial reference equipment.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of applicable
Adjective
  • Malin+Goetz is bringing back its hyper-realistic Moroccan Fig.
    — April Long, Allure, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What is needed instead is a way to protect a less ambitious but more realistic set of interests at a cost that Americans are willing to bear.
    — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 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 19 Oct. 2026.

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