PRACTICAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does practical mean? 

• PRACTICAL (adjective)
  The adjective PRACTICAL has 4 senses:

1. concerned with actual use or practice

2. guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory

3. being actually such in almost every respect

4. having or put to a practical purpose or use

  Familiarity information: PRACTICAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRACTICAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Concerned with actual use or practice

Context example:

woodworking is a practical art

Similar:

applicative; applicatory (readily applicable or practical)

functional (designed for or adapted to a function or use)

interoperable (able to exchange and use information)

matter-of-fact; pragmatic; pragmatical (concerned with practical matters)

operable; practicable (usable for a specific purpose)

serviceable (intended or able to serve a purpose without elaboration)

unimaginative (dealing only with concrete facts)

working (adequate for practical use; especially sufficient in strength or numbers to accomplish something)

Also:

concrete (capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary)

possible (capable of happening or existing)

realistic (aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are)

serviceable (ready for service or able to give long service)

Attribute:

practicality (concerned with actual use rather than theoretical possibilities)

Antonym:

impractical (not practical; not workable or not given to practical matters)

Derivation:

practicality (concerned with actual use rather than theoretical possibilities)

practice (a customary way of operation or behavior)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory

Synonyms:

hard-nosed; hardheaded; practical; pragmatic

Context example:

not ideology but pragmatic politics

Similar:

realistic (aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are)

Derivation:

practicality (concerned with actual use rather than theoretical possibilities)

practice (a customary way of operation or behavior)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Being actually such in almost every respect

Synonyms:

practical; virtual

Context example:

the once elegant temple lay in virtual ruin

Similar:

realistic (aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Having or put to a practical purpose or use

Context example:

practical applications of calculus

Similar:

applied (concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles)

 Context examples 

The paper seems to me to be of no practical importance.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A question about an individual's distress related to their practical problems with transportation.

(Distress over Practical Problem with Transportation, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's distress related to their practical problems with treatment decisions.

(Distress over Practical Problem with Treatment Decisions, NCI Thesaurus)

The practical application of physical, mechanical, and mathematical principles.

(Engineering, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A question about an individual's distress related to their practical problems with work or school.

(Distress over Practical Problem with Work or School, NCI Thesaurus)

My theoretical and his practical knowledge together could not have failed.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Introduction, application, and evaluation of effective and practical cancer prevention, control, and rehabilitation intervention programs in community settings.

(Community Oncology and Rehabilitation, NCI Thesaurus)

It has many practical applications in different areas of biology and medicine.

(Bioinformatics, NCI Thesaurus)

“Let us be practical,” said he.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

However, the team’s calculations reveal that many thousands would be required; again, not very practical.

(Mars Terraforming Not Possible Using Present-Day Technology, NASA)