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impractical

impractical

38 5.3
Not sensible or likely to work in real life
  • adjective
  • /ɪmˈpræktɪkəl/
translation icon : poco práctico
  • The implementation of this recommendation in this particular school system was impractical, if not impossible.
  • prove impractical
  • impractical or impossible
  • impractical and irrational

It's costly, it's impractical, it is unsustainable.

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Examples

  • The scheme was eventually rejected for being impractical and Scotland instead chose a union with England.

  • If a reserve fund is impractical, a bank line of credit may be an alternative.

    Academic text (1994)
  • This has to be, despite its beauty, one of the most impractical weapons I think we have here.

  • And this is a very impractical solution, by the way.

  • However, engineers found it impractical to develop commercial products until decades later.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Correspondence using regular mail is also an impractical exercise for teachers.

    Academic text (1994)
  • However, at the moment, quantum tech is so impractical to use and so expensive that there are few actors in the game.

  • At other times, it may be impractical to remove the obstructions.

    Academic text (2012)
  • It's costly, it's impractical, it is unsustainable.

  • The proposed plan to build a massive roller coaster in the middle of the city is too impractical to execute.

Synonyms

unrealistic
vsimpractical
96 4.0

Not having a sensible idea of what can be done in real life

focuses on unsuitability for real use rather than merely imagining success
visionary
vsimpractical
36 7.4

Ideas or plans that are not practical and unlikely to work

is more about lacking usefulness in reality than creative imagination
airy
vsimpractical
4 6.9

Ideas and plans that are not realistic

stresses not being useful in reality rather than mere fancifulness
unfeasible
vsimpractical
4 6.8

Not possible to do or make work

focuses on lack of sensibility or suitability rather than absolute impossibility
infeasible
vsimpractical
2 7.2

Not possible to do or make happen

emphasizes unsuitability or unlikelihood rather than complete impossibility
impracticable
vsimpractical
  • Formal
1 7.3

Not possible to do in real life because of problems

means not sensible or realistic rather than strictly impossible
nonviable
vsimpractical
1 7.8

Not able to live, develop, or succeed

focuses on not being sensible or workable rather than on inevitable failure
unpractical
vsimpractical
1 5.3

Not sensible or useful for everyday use

adds that such ideas are also unlikely to work or be realistic
inexpedient
vsimpractical
  • Formal
1 9.1

Not a good idea when it is risky or will not work

emphasizes that something is not sensible or likely to work
unrealizable
vsimpractical
  • US
1 8.5

Impossible to do or make real

marks ideas as not sensible or realistic instead of strictly unachievable
unfunctional
vsimpractical
8.2

Not useful for everyday tasks

refers to lack of sense or realism rather than failed purpose
nonrealistic
vsimpractical
6.3

Not sensible or likely to happen

highlights lack of usefulness in real situations rather than just improbability

Antonyms

507 2.6

About how something works in real life rather than in ideas

37 3.9

Possible to do successfully with the tools and conditions we have

How Practical

practical
507 2.6
feasible
88 4.9
impractical
38 5.3
unworkable
11 5.1
impossible
1.4

Surface Forms

impractical positive
impracticaler comparative
impracticalest superlative

Morphology

impractical = practical (transparent) = im + practical

A straightforward negative prefix 'im-' attached to the common adjective 'practical', yielding the meaning 'not practical' that learners can derive from its parts.

Etymology

Impractical is made from the prefix im- meaning 'not' and practical, which comes from practice meaning 'doing' or 'hands-on'. So, something impractical is 'not likely to work in real life' or 'not useful for doing things'.