Synonyms of practical

practical

adjective

ˈprak-ti-kəl 

1

as in useful

capable of being put to use or account

a practical and simple solution for the town's waste disposal

she has some practical information on sightseeing in San Francisco

Synonyms & Similar Words

• useful
• applicable
• applicative
• applied
• pragmatic
• practicable
• functional
• workable
• actionable
• usable
• serviceable
• working
• utilitarian
• ultrapractical
• available
• mundane
• down-to-earth
• handy
• obtainable
• operating
• accessible
• reachable
• functioning
• operative
• active
• employed
• banausic
• busy
• all-around
• alive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• theoretical
• impractical
• useless
• impracticable
• academic
• unworkable
• abstract
• inapplicable
• unusable
• nonpractical
• inaccessible
• unavailable
• unobtainable
• unattainable
• unsuitable
• unreachable
• armchair

2

as in pragmatic

willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly

a practical caseworker who doesn't spend a lot of time philosophizing while doing social work in the inner city

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pragmatic
• realistic
• sensible
• logical
• rational
• down-to-earth
• reasonable
• matter-of-fact
• cynical
• earthy
• hardheaded
• sound
• utilitarian
• grounded
• sober
• commonsensical
• sane
• hard
• skeptical
• bottom-line
• unromantic
• levelheaded
• unsentimental
• no-nonsense
• disillusioned
• pessimistic
• idealless
• suspicious
• tough-minded
• sobersided
• hard-edged
• misanthropic
• philistine
• distrustful
• mistrustful
• hard-boiled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impractical
• idealistic
• unrealistic
• imaginative
• utopian
• visionary
• blue-sky
• fanciful
• romantic
• sentimental
• fantastic
• optimistic
• theoretical
• cheerful
• unreasonable
• irrational
• illogical
• insane
• trusting
• trustful
• unsuspicious
• rose-colored
• half-baked

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of practical

Cancer June 21 – July 22 Your big vision needs a practical next step. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2026

Returnships Offer an Untapped Reservoir of Experienced Talent One of the most practical, actionable insights from Fair Share is the concept of returnships. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

This pair comes in playful prints and colors while still feeling practical. — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026

Wiener has sought to position himself as a congressional candidate focused on practical public policy solutions without abandoning progressive ideology. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing practical

• practical joke