1
as in useful
capable of being put to use or account
a practical and simple solution for the town's waste disposal she has some practical information on sightseeing in San Francisco
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pragmatic
willing to see things as they really are and deal with them sensibly
a practical caseworker who doesn't spend a lot of time philosophizing while doing social work in the inner city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of practical
Every innovative discovery, every practical problem solved and every enthusiastic learner is testament to the effectiveness of the benefits.
—
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
According to Ngaio Richards, a canine handler and forensic ecologist at the University of Florida and at Working Dogs for Conservation, this is an ever expanding field of research—and practical use.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 14 Mar. 2025
After the Samuel trade, the Niners have roughly $30 million in practical salary cap space.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
The bag’s practical design has an interior center pocket divider with a zipper closure and one interior slip pocket to organize my items while keeping them safe.
—Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
According to Ngaio Richards, a canine handler and forensic ecologist at the University of Florida and at Working Dogs for Conservation, this is an ever expanding field of research—and practical use.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 14 Mar. 2025
After the Samuel trade, the Niners have roughly $30 million in practical salary cap space.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
The bag’s practical design has an interior center pocket divider with a zipper closure and one interior slip pocket to organize my items while keeping them safe.
—Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical
Adjective
-
Although still useful, these methods are becoming increasingly insufficient in today's complex data environment.—
Asaf Kochan,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Acupuncture may be a safe, useful tool for both chronic pain management in the general population and for fighting insomnia among people in perimenopause.—
Mara Santilli,
Flow Space,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
One faction is taking a pragmatic approach that appeals to voters in the middle, while others want more action, such as protests and interruptions like U.S. Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) at the president's joint address to Congress.—
Mike Allen,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
-
This state-federal split reflects a pragmatic approach designed to maintain market flexibility while ensuring sufficient regulatory oversight at the federal level.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Programs designed to meet the needs of this demographic often focus on equipping students with skills that are not just theoretical but highly applicable in the workplace.—
Maja Zelihic,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The Alien and Enemies Act is also only applicable under the conditions of war, which has not yet been declared by Congress, according to the Brennan Center.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Now in its 46th year, This Old House, originally hosted by Bob Vila, is a pioneer in the genre with a realistic renovation of projects on older homes, helpful information, a sense of authenticity, and a reliable source for DIY home improvement knowledge.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Users will be able to layer development proposals over realistic cityscapes, enabling them to see how new buildings would appear in relation to existing structures.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
While a regional court in Cologne initially recognized four of Birkenstock’s shoe models as works of applied art and granted the company’s orders in 2017, a higher regional court in the city later overturned the orders on appeal in 2022.—
Karen K. Ho,
ARTnews.com,
21 Feb. 2025
-
In 1994, the applied mathematician Peter Shor was inspired by a recent oracle result to develop a fast quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers—a task whose apparent difficulty underlies the cryptographic systems that keep our online data secure.—
Ben Brubaker,
WIRED,
2 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Practical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share