prac·ti·cal
ˈprak-ti-kəl 
1
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
: an examination requiring demonstration of some practical skill
a zoology practical
Synonyms
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
Luz García, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
Bergamot Comedy Fest brings diversity, laughs and learning to ‘the industry’s backyard’
Part motivational speech, part autobiography, Lawrence bared his soul to the audience but offered solid and practical advice for any comedians hoping to work as comedy writers.
—Alex Distefano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Your ambitions will be up for review, so be ready to present your hard work and long-term goals with a passionate, yet practical plan.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Here, therapists share some simple, practical ways to show up for a loved one during these low points.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 4 Apr. 2024
The new addition was born from a practical necessity that doubled as an obvious metaphor: In its previous state, the 150-year-old museum suffered from a profusion of dead ends in its many halls.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Today’s artists embrace the nude for reasons ranging from the political to the personal to the practical (several mentioned that clothing automatically dates a painting).
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
As for the practical application, the drag-racing lessons learned about throttle application and avoiding a loss of control also apply when driving today’s eminently powerful street-legal sports cars and supercars on the road.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
The young men of the Haredim, as they are known in Hebrew, are in all practical terms exempt from mandatory military services – an issue that has bedeviled Israeli society since the country’s founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
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
Adjective
For any day of the week, this outfit with wide jeans is comfortable and practical.
—Luz García, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
Bergamot Comedy Fest brings diversity, laughs and learning to ‘the industry’s backyard’
Part motivational speech, part autobiography, Lawrence bared his soul to the audience but offered solid and practical advice for any comedians hoping to work as comedy writers.
—Alex Distefano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Your ambitions will be up for review, so be ready to present your hard work and long-term goals with a passionate, yet practical plan.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Here, therapists share some simple, practical ways to show up for a loved one during these low points.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 4 Apr. 2024
The new addition was born from a practical necessity that doubled as an obvious metaphor: In its previous state, the 150-year-old museum suffered from a profusion of dead ends in its many halls.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Today’s artists embrace the nude for reasons ranging from the political to the personal to the practical (several mentioned that clothing automatically dates a painting).
—Julia Halperin, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
As for the practical application, the drag-racing lessons learned about throttle application and avoiding a loss of control also apply when driving today’s eminently powerful street-legal sports cars and supercars on the road.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
The young men of the Haredim, as they are known in Hebrew, are in all practical terms exempt from mandatory military services – an issue that has bedeviled Israeli society since the country’s founding.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 29 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.
Dictionary Entries Near practical
Cite this Entry
“Practical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practical. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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