as in useless
not capable of being put to use or account
the flimsy little toy shovel was cute, but completely impractical for digging up tree stumps
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Recent Examples of impractical
Woanger Set of 4 Wicker Storage Baskets Pretty, functional storage solutions are the perfect antidote to impractical minimalism.
—
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Pros say stone mosaics, wood-look porcelain, and pastels feel dated and impractical.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
Visible Kitchen Shelving Open shelving is often criticized as impractical or messy, but designers argue that’s only the case when it’s treated as storage rather than design.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
Many Republican senators dismissed that tactic as impractical, and a dangerous step to eliminating the 60-vote threshold altogether.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impractical
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
Pros say stone mosaics, wood-look porcelain, and pastels feel dated and impractical.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 9 Feb. 2026
Visible Kitchen Shelving Open shelving is often criticized as impractical or messy, but designers argue that’s only the case when it’s treated as storage rather than design.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
Many Republican senators dismissed that tactic as impractical, and a dangerous step to eliminating the 60-vote threshold altogether.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impractical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impractical
Adjective
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While sowing seeds in winter is a smart way to get a head start on gardening season, doing so too early can stress your seedlings, rendering your efforts useless.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
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Suspects are allegedly jamming the signal, making your camera useless.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Environmental chemist Cassandra Rauert noted that this technique is currently unsuitable for identifying polyethylene or PVC in human tissue because molecules from human fat can mimic the signal of these plastics.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
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This is a significant issue for a project intended for deep-space mission launches, microgravity research, and space manufacturing – only for it to be found unsuitable for any of those goals, largely due to the presence of the astronauts themselves.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Sala says that lighter, softer items should go on top of the harder, heavier produce so things don’t get squashed (and rendered unusable).—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
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Batteries If they’re exposed to moisture, batteries can also corrode and become unusable or leak and create an unsafe mess.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impractical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impractical. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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