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
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
Unlike classical supercomputers, which excel at simulations and data-heavy tasks, quantum computers operate on fundamentally different principles, enabling new approaches to solving problems that are considered impractical using traditional computing methods.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
At first glance, the energy cost of swimming thousands of miles — often without stopping to feed or rest — seems both impractical and impossible.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Directed by Leslie Iwerks, the film argues that Disneyland was not only impractical, but a stunning race against time.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Novelty cases, chains, and charms that are oversized, brightly colored, and sometimes deliberately impractical have become a visible outlet for self-expression.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impractical
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Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
At first glance, the energy cost of swimming thousands of miles — often without stopping to feed or rest — seems both impractical and impossible.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Directed by Leslie Iwerks, the film argues that Disneyland was not only impractical, but a stunning race against time.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Novelty cases, chains, and charms that are oversized, brightly colored, and sometimes deliberately impractical have become a visible outlet for self-expression.
—Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impractical
Cite this Entry
“Impractical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impractical. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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