practical
adjective
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Definition of practical
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : of, relating to, or manifested in practice or action : not theoretical or ideal a practical question for all practical purposes
b : being such in practice or effect : virtual a practical failure
2 : actively engaged in some course of action or occupation a practical farmer
3 : capable of being put to use or account : useful he had a practical knowledge of French
4a : disposed to action as opposed to speculation or abstraction
b(1) : qualified by practice or practical training a good practical mechanic
(2) : designed to supplement theoretical training by experience
5 : concerned with voluntary action and ethical decisions practical reason
practical
nounDefinition of practical (Entry 2 of 2)
: an examination requiring demonstration of some practical skill a zoology practical
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Other Words from practical
Adjective
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noun
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noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for practical
Synonyms: Adjective
down-to-earth, earthy, hardheaded, matter-of-fact, pragmatic (also pragmatical), realistic
Antonyms: Adjective
blue-sky, idealistic, impractical, unrealistic, utopian, visionary
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Examples of practical in a Sentence
Adjective
We can speculate about the future, but on a more practical level, we have to admit that we simply don't know what will happen. An engineer will address the design's practical problems. She has a lot of practical experience in dealing with these kinds of problems. practical solutions to complicated problems He thinks wind can be a practical source of renewable energy. The machine is too big to be practical for most private homes. The shoes are nice, but they're not very practical. The book is a practical guide to car care. He gave me some practical advice on finding a job.Noun
We have our zoology practicals next week.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
John Stiteler, the owner of Total Health Guidance in Orlando, says positive mental health takes practical and behavioral approaches. — Katie Parsons, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Holistic mental-health treatments can help, advocates say," 26 Apr. 2018 Japan's homegrown fighter was just not practical or affordable. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "What Japan’s F-22/F-35 Fighter Hybrid Might Look Like," 23 Apr. 2018 The learning and observation from the visits are complemented by a week-long group project to develop a 3D printing and awareness campaign that applies what students have learned into a practical context. — Alex Park, Houston Chronicle, "Youths explore medicine at Global Teen Medical Summit," 13 July 2018 Franklin’s focus reflected both the popular USIA choices of classic American literature, such as Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, as well as practical texts and nonfiction considered useful for developing nations. — Amanda Laugesen, Smithsonian, "This Cold War-Era Publishing House Wanted To Share American Values With the World," 13 July 2018 But surely most fans of the show would be fascinated by a little more context about the structure and practical realities of Gilead. — Hank Stuever, chicagotribune.com, "We survived another grueling season of 'The Handmaid's Tale,' but here are 3 things we need from Season 3," 12 July 2018 While Golden State’s immense global popularity is surely a factor as well, there are other recent practical factors at play. — Ben Golliver, SI.com, "Two Years After Durant’s Decision, Adam Silver Changes Tune on Superteam Warriors," 11 July 2018 The big practical question, of course, is how to avoid or counteract the effects of mental fatigue. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, "Here’s What We Know About Mental Fatigue," 10 July 2018 The class includes guided meditations, practical advice and discussion. — Courant Community, "Community News For The East Hartford Edition," 10 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'practical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for practical
practical
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of practical
(Entry 1 of 2)
: relating to what is real rather than to what is possible or imagined
: likely to succeed and reasonable to do or use
: appropriate or suited for actual use
practical
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of practical (Entry 2 of 2)
: an examination in which students have to do or make something to show what they have learned
See the full definition for practical in the English Language Learners Dictionary
practical
adjective
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Kids Definition of practical
1 : of or relating to real action rather than ideas or thought practical matters
2 : capable of being put to use : reasonable to do or use practical advice Those shoes are nice, but these are more practical.
3 : tending to act according to reason and logic Beezus, always practical, changed her mind. “It wouldn't work.”— Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby a practical person
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