impractical

adjective

im·​prac·​ti·​cal (ˌ)im-ˈprak-ti-kəl How to pronounce impractical (audio)
: not practical: such as
a
: not wise to put into or keep in practice or effect
b
: incapable of dealing sensibly or prudently with practical matters
impracticality noun
impractically adverb

Examples of impractical in a Sentence

Little sports cars are impractical for large families. He was a dreamy and impractical young man.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trying to dampen political polarization in the news and on social media would be an obvious approach—although an impractical one, the two say, given how polarization has marketplace benefits in boosting audience sizes, engagement and political donations. Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 Consultants have traditionally filled this gap by providing impartial assessments, yet external advisors may miss crucial insights into a company’s products, culture or internal processes, leading to high-cost, impractical recommendations. Glen Robinson, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 Opponents scoffed at many of his ideas, calling them impractical or misguided, perhaps bordering on Marxism. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024 The resulting components often feature wild—and wildly efficient—shapes that would be impractical or even impossible to achieve via other methods. Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impractical 

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impractical was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near impractical

Cite this Entry

“Impractical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impractical. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

impractical

adjective
im·​prac·​ti·​cal (ˈ)im-ˈprak-ti-kəl How to pronounce impractical (audio)
: not practical: as
a
: not wise to put into or keep in practice or effect
an impractical rule disliked by many
b
: incapable of dealing sensibly with practical matters
c
: impracticable
the new gadgets were complicated and impractical
impracticality noun
impractically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on impractical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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