pragmatic Definition
prag·matic (prag mat′ik)
adjective
- Rare
- busy or active, esp. in a meddlesome way
- dogmatic; opinionated
- having to do with the affairs of a state or community
- concerned with actual practice, everyday affairs, etc., not with theory or speculation; practical
- dealing with historical facts, esp. in their causal relationship
- of or having to do with philosophical pragmatism
Etymology: L pragmaticus, skilled in business or law < Gr pragmatikos < pragma, business, orig. a thing done < prassein, to do
noun
pragmatic Related Forms
prag·mat′i·cally adverb
pragmatic Synonyms
pragmatic Usage Examples
Preposition: with
regard: Yes he was perhaps pragmatic with regard to having an understanding of ministering to people where they were at.
Preposition: in
- nature: This type of voice is therefore analyzed as pragmatic in nature.
- order: The design was essentially pragmatic in order that it could be easily extrapolated to NHS practice.
Modifies a noun
- inference: It is a product of encoded linguistic meaning together with a special class of default pragmatic inferences which he calls generalized conversational implicatures.
- approach: In the early years, a pragmatic approach was taken to public sector reform.
- realism: But the ' pragmatic realism ' claimed by these two governments risks reproducing exactly what they pretend to interrupt.
- solution: Adrian Martin came up with a pragmatic solution to the problem.
- stance: Dewey's perspective was thus a pragmatic stance toward knowledge.
- consideration: In other arts such pragmatic considerations were less important.
Modifying Another Word
- purely: There is a related view, very popular, which is purely pragmatic.
- essentially: Third, we should accept the positive elements of Blair's essentially pragmatic approach.
- entirely: The reason for this is entirely pragmatic; in practice people discriminate these factors more finely than they do the others.
- merely: The tent is a choice of architectural strategy which is not merely pragmatic.
- fairly: This is a fairly pragmatic requirement about there being somewhere in the UK which is suitable for the placement of the student.
- highly: John Deacon takes an in-depth, highly pragmatic approach, which demonstrates how to lay the foundations for developing the best possible software.
Used with adjective complement
- remain: Despite this, Saint Just remains pragmatic, and retains a surprising respect for those who create the works he defiles.
- provide: Our core service is utilizing our accountancy and business expertise to provide pragmatic, technically correct and honest advice.
- seem: This argument seems pragmatic to me, but I could be wrong.
- deliver: These deliver pragmatic, appropriate, transparent actions leading directly to positive impacts.
- get: First, forget idealism and dogmatism and get pragmatic!
Browse dictionary entries near pragmatic
- ‹ praetorian
- ‹ praetor
- ‹ praenomen
- ‹ praemunire
- ‹ praefect
- ‹ praedial
- ‹ praecipe
- ‹ prae-
- ‹ Prado
- ‹ practitioner
- pragmatic sanction ›
- pragmatics ›
- pragmatism ›
- Prague ›
- Praia ›
- prairie ›
- prairie chicken ›
- prairie dog ›
- prairie oyster ›
- Prairie Provinces ›

