practical

1 of 2

adjective

prac·​ti·​cal ˈprak-ti-kəl How to pronounce practical (audio)
1
a
: 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
4
a
: 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
practicality noun
practicalness noun

practical

2 of 2

noun

: an examination requiring demonstration of some practical skill
a zoology practical

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
Other practical features include four zippered pockets, two mesh pockets, and a wide adjustable strap. Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The second issue may not be quite as practical, but is arguably bigger. Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 12 Mar. 2024 Lapham Lodge will including practical amenities, and more The lodge, to be built along the east end of the Evergreen parking lot, obviously is intended for trail users of various kinds — people who slide over skis in winter, pedal through the park in summer or hike regardless of the season. Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 Performance numbers figures like these serve little practical value, of course. Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 But nobody has come up with a more practical storage solution than F. Murray Abraham. Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024 Prior to a rehearsal for the teen choral concert, Burton, 41, took questions from the students, responding with a mixture of encouragement to keep singing and to consider music school, and with down-to-earth, practical advice. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 As a practical matter, this means that social media — and principally Musk’s X — becomes the central way in which many right-wing figures reach the public. David French, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 This 1 to 2 years of experience is crucial for applying theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
For most, the practical trumped the philosophical on a question of public health. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2021 All three of these agencies have worked to give students the flexibility to work online and, as Friday, NACCAS, in coordination with the Department of Education, announced the lifting of the restriction to teach practicals hands-on. Christopher Roth, azcentral, 23 Mar. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'practical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Late Latin practicus, from Greek praktikos, from prassein to pass over, fare, do; akin to Greek peran to pass through — more at fare

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of practical was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near practical

Cite this Entry

“Practical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practical. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

practical

adjective
prac·​ti·​cal
ˈprak-ti-kəl
1
: of or relating to action and practice rather than ideas or thought
for practical purposes
2
: being such in practice or effect : virtual
a practical failure
3
: capable of being put to use or account : useful
a practical knowledge of farming
4
: good at putting ideas or plans into action
a practical mind
practicality
ˌprak-ti-ˈkal-ət-ē
noun

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