practical Hear it!

practical Definition

prac·ti·cal (prak′ti kəl)

adjective

  1. of, exhibited in, or obtained through practice or action practical knowledge
    1. usable; workable; useful and sensible practical proposals
    2. designed for use; utilitarian
  3. concerned with the application of knowledge to useful ends, rather than with theory, speculation, etc. practical science
  4. given to, or experienced from, actual practice a practical farmer
  5. of, concerned with, or dealing realistically and sensibly with everyday activities, work, etc.
  6. that is so in practice, whether or not in theory, law, etc.; virtual
  7. matter-of-fact; prosaic

Etymology: practic + -al

practical Related Forms
prac′·ti·cal′·ity (-kal′ə tē) noun pl. -·ties or prac′·ti·cal·ness
practical Synonyms

practical

modif.

matter-of-fact, pragmatic, unimaginative, solid, practicable, feasible, workable, functional, useful, sound, sound-thinking, down-to-earth, unromantic, unsentimental, unidealistic, hardheaded, realistic, sensible, sane, reasonable, rational, to one's advantage, operative, utilitarian, possible, usable, serviceable, efficient, effective, working, nuts-and-bolts*, with both feet on the ground*.

Antonyms impractical*, visionary*, impracticable*, unserviceable.

practical, when used of things, stresses usefulness and effectiveness as tested by actual experience, and when used of people, stresses a sensible, realistic approach to life or to the particular circumstances; practicable is used of something that appears to be capable of being done or put into effect, but has not yet been developed or tried before the era of electronics, television did not seem practicable; today it is but one of the practical applications of the science

practical Usage Examples

Preposition: with

  • lot: Katie Kift of Rickerbys All those who attended found it interesting, worthwhile, entertaining and practical with lots of opportunity to participate.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • do: I didn't like studying ( I wanted to do something practical ) or campus life.

Modifies a noun

  • advice: Trusted, practical advice on your desktop ORDER TODAY!
  • guide: The Woman Manual - The practical step-by-step guide to women's health, for men.
  • experience: Account can also be taken of practical experience within the relevant field of study.
  • skill: You will also learn how to develop practical skills in the stylistic analysis of texts.
  • guidance: ANNEX D gives some practical guidance on layout of the workstation.
  • solution: Discount pharmacy which dr. with dvd practical software solutions.

Modifying Another Word

  • eminently: Review: This eminently practical book reaches out to you in a real way.
  • reasonably: Its offense was to fail to ensure, so far as reasonably practical, that people were safe.
  • intensely: It may be intensely practical - finance or food or whatever.
  • highly: This is a rhythmically written story, conveying a highly practical message in an amusing way.
  • very: Behavior The Campbell is a very practical, hardy duck which is a prolific egg layer.
  • refreshingly: But of the Russians he met, McKay found Trotsky's views the most perceptive - refreshingly practical and free of racial stereotyping.

Used with adjective complement

  • demonstrate: We are looking for graduates and post-graduates who can demonstrate practical problem-solving skills, maturity, and evidence of teamwork and initiative.
  • offer: Overview of Visual FoxPro training options We offer practical, hands-on training for programmers working in Microsoft Visual FoxPro 6.0 - 9.0.
  • develop: The JSC would like to start a series of courses for developing practical IT skills, to be run by those with these skills.
  • give: Recent titles include Saving Sex which gives practical, down-to-earth answers to real teenagers ' questions about relationships and sex.
  • contain: It contains practical, common sense information about how to prepare for and what to do in the event of an emergency.
  • get: Further development is needed and both business and the MoD need to get practical about the issues.
practical Quotes

The theory of our modern technic shows that nothing is as practical as the theory.

—Oppenheimer,J(ulius) Robert

   The instinct of mankind warns it against accepting at their face value spiritual demands that cannot satisfy themselves by practical achievements. The road along which the organized workers, like any other class, must climb to power starts from the provision of a more effective economic service than their masters, as their grip upon industry becomes increasingly vacillating and uncertain, are able to supply.

—Tawney, R(ichard) H(enry)

Don't be 'practical' in politics. To be practical in that sense means that you have schooled yourself to think along the lines, and in the grooves that those who rob you would desire you to think.

—Connolly,James

Facts are generally overesteemed. For most practical purposes, a thing is what men think it is.When they judged the earth flat, it was flat. As long as men thought slavery tolerable, it was tolerable.We live down here among shadows, shadows among shadows.

—Updike,John Hoyer

   Totakeanalmost religiousview, thisearthisnothing very special.There have probably been millions of earths just like ours each producing a particular intelligent species. That isnottosay thattheyall developed well, thattheyall achieved some sort of perfection. And if the planner made lots of them and some of them chose to destroy themselves,thenwe canonlysupposethattheplanner is a hard and practical man.

—Hoyle, Sir Fred

   I thought it might have a practical use in something like neon signs.

—Urey, Harold Clayton

He or she isgreatest who contributes the greatest original practical example.

—Whitman,Walt(er)

Whoever, in the pursuit of science, seeks after immediate practical utility may rest assured that he seeks in vain.

—Helmholtz, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von