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pragmatic Definition

prag·matic (prag mat′ik)

adjective

  1. Rare
    1. busy or active, esp. in a meddlesome way
    2. dogmatic; opinionated
  2. having to do with the affairs of a state or community
  3. concerned with actual practice, everyday affairs, etc., not with theory or speculation; practical
  4. dealing with historical facts, esp. in their causal relationship
  5. 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 sanction

pragmatic Related Forms

prag·mat′i·cally adverb

pragmatic Synonyms

pragmatic

modif.

realistic, utilitarian, philistine, extensional, logical; see also practical.

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!