1
2
3
as in useful
capable of or suitable for being used for a particular purpose that flimsy little saw is not a very practicable tool for cutting heavy tree branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective practicable differ from other similar words?

The words feasible and possible are common synonyms of practicable. While all three words mean "capable of being realized," practicable implies that something may be effected by available means or under current conditions.

a solution that is not practicable in the time available

When is feasible a more appropriate choice than practicable?

The words feasible and practicable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, feasible applies to what is likely to work or be useful in attaining the end desired.

commercially feasible for mass production

In what contexts can possible take the place of practicable?

Although the words possible and practicable have much in common, possible implies that a thing may certainly exist or occur given the proper conditions.

a possible route up the west face of the mountain

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of practicable This might include a review of cybersecurity policies, checks on overall cryptographic health and conversations about practicable roadmaps for deploying quantum-safe algorithms. Jordan Rackie, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 The technology suddenly seemed practicable. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025 Penguin Random House Canada provides the Information in an accessible format or with appropriate Communication Supports, as soon as practicable, upon request. Hazlitt, 4 Jan. 2025 According to new research, the momentary fusion feat required exquisite choreography and extensive preparations, whose high degree of difficulty reveals a long road ahead before anyone dares hope a practicable power source could be at hand. IEEE Spectrum, 6 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for practicable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practicable
Adjective
  • The shift has profound implications in House districts across the country, seeping into Democratic primaries as a possible liability for more centrist members.
    David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • New downloads of Weather are no longer possible on Wear OS 6 devices from third-party manufacturers, such as Samsung, OnePlus and others.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Breakups are not universally applicable.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The findings may also not be fully applicable to the broader public, given that all study participants were older European adults.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For some patients, other tools—like a coronary calcium scan, which can directly show whether there’s silent plaque in the arteries—may be more useful.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Sep. 2025
  • One of the most useful skills in a leader’s tool belt is the ability to recognize potential disagreement and surface concerns.
    Lindsay Phillips, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Those images of parents and kids in the kitchen made the goal feel achievable.
    Kristine Johnson, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Set concrete and achievable goals, such as walking after lunch two days this week.
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Its early pilots include placing a humanoid in a car factory to fetch and carry parts, hinting at a practical path into routine industrial tasks.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share practical strategies middle managers can use to strengthen relationships and create a more positive workplace culture.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As 9to5Mac reports, hypertension alerts will become available in over 150 countries and regions, including the US and the EU, next week.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That figure is currently just above 50%, extrapolating from available data.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • When feasible, maintain a sense of humor and perspective.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • But Skarin said that isn’t feasible because the animals eat on the move and the relocation would deny them food to be grazed while walking from one area to another.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This approach gives immediate context for applied intelligence and, when implemented correctly, avoids the static and siloed data environments that hinder customer experience initiatives.
    Bill Waid, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Among them were Shawn Ligocki and his father, Terry, an applied mathematician who ran their search program in the off hours on powerful computers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
    Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 22 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Practicable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practicable. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on practicable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!