practical
Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.
Word facts
Definition of Practical
Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use.
Example sentences
His practical approach to cooking meant he could make a good meal with whatever was in the fridge.
The training was designed to be practical, with hands-on exercises from the very first day.
Using Practical well
A closer look at how practical is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Useful and sensible in real situations, rather than only good in theory.
Use 'practical' to praise things that actually work in everyday use, or to describe a down-to-earth, results-focused person. It signals a contrast with the abstract, the theoretical, or the impractical.
Common in advice, product reviews, education (practical skills), and descriptions of people's temperaments.
Do not confuse 'practical' with 'practicable'. 'Practical' means useful and sensible; 'practicable' means simply able to be carried out. A plan can be practicable (doable) yet not practical (not worth the effort).
- pragmatic
- more formal and strategic — focused on what works and what gets results, sometimes at the cost of ideals
- sensible
- warmer and more about sound judgment than usefulness in action
- functional
- narrower — works and does its job, but without the sense of being wisely chosen
- hands-on
- informal — stresses direct doing and experience rather than usefulness
- feasible
- different angle — able to be done in practice, about possibility rather than usefulness
- theoretical
- opposite in focus — concerned with ideas rather than real application
- impractical
- direct opposite — not workable or useful in real life
- idealistic
- softer opposite — guided by ideals rather than what actually works
- Beginner A backpack is more practical than a suitcase for hiking.
- In writing The workshop skips the theory and focuses on practical steps you can apply the next morning.
- Advanced For all his grand visions, it was his practical instinct for what could actually be built that made the projects succeed.
Link 'practical' to 'practice' — it is about what works when you actually put it into practice, not just on paper.
Synonyms for Practical
Related words
Words closely connected to Practical in meaning or use:
Words that rhyme with Practical
Try Practical in the word tools
Browse words near Practical
Explore more words that start with the letter P in Word Explorer, or use the A-Z browser to discover other vocabulary starting from any letter.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What does practical mean?
Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does practical have?
Practical has 3 syllables: prak·tuh·kuhl. The word is broken into 3 spoken beats.
What part of speech is practical?
Practical is used as an adjective. As a noun, it names a thing, idea, or concept.
What are synonyms for practical?
Words with similar meanings to practical include pragmatic, useful, functional, realistic. The best synonym depends on the exact context you are writing or reading in.
How do you use practical in a sentence?
Example: "His practical approach to cooking meant he could make a good meal with whatever was in the fridge."