impractical

adjective

im·​prac·​ti·​cal (ˌ)im-ˈprak-ti-kəl 

: not practical: such as

a

: not wise to put into or keep in practice or effect

Small cars are impractical for large families.

b

: incapable of dealing sensibly or prudently with practical matters

a dreamy and impractical young man

c

: impracticable

an impractical plan

d

: not having a realistic or practical basis : idealistic

an impractical pipe dream

impracticality

(ˌ)im-ˌprak-ti-ˈka-lə-tē 

noun

impractically

(ˌ)im-ˈprak-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of impractical

• useless
• unsuitable
• unusable

Examples of impractical in a Sentence

Little sports cars are impractical for large families.

He was a dreamy and impractical young man.

Recent Examples on the Web

The creator notes the concept suits cabins, RVs, and off-grid structures particularly well — anywhere grid ties are impractical or expensive. —Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026

Stylists also caution against looks that feel overly themed or impractical. —Katie Ann Lehman, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026

The home had several storage cupboards with bifold doors that would have been impractical to remove. —Amy Bradford, Architectural Digest, 21 Mar. 2026

Repeatedly promoting the scientific but impractical viewpoint of neurologists and sleep experts completely ignores how humans live in the real world. —Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impractical

• syntactical
• unpractical
• practical
• tactical

Kids Definition

impractical

adjective

im·​prac·​ti·​cal (ˈ)im-ˈprak-ti-kəl 

: not practical: as

a

: not wise to put into or keep in practice or effect

an impractical rule disliked by many

b

: incapable of dealing sensibly with practical matters

c

: impracticable

the new gadgets were complicated and impractical

impracticality

(ˌ)im-ˌprak-ti-ˈkal-ət-ē 

noun

impractically

(ˈ)im-ˈprak-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb