1
Core quality
Not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
Example
The plan is elegant but impractical at current costs.
impractical
/ɪmˈpræktɪkəl/ · im-PRAK-tih-kuladjective
Not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
Use impractical to express this relationship precisely: not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
What impractical Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
Heavy materials made the portable device impractical.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
The timetable proved impractical during the monsoon.
Use impractical Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The plan is elegant but impractical at current costs.
Heavy materials made the portable device impractical.
The timetable proved impractical during the monsoon.
Precision Matters
Impractical overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
impractical
vs.Means not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
efficacious
Means capable of producing the intended or desired result; effective.
impractical
vs.Means not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
pragmatic
Means dealing with problems sensibly and realistically.
impractical
vs.Means not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
astute
Means showing sharp judgment, practical intelligence, and an ability to understand situations accurately.
impractical
vs.Means not workable, realistic, efficient, or suitable for actual use.
theoretical
Means based on ideas, principles, or models rather than direct observation or practical application.
Test impractical in Context
The requirement is unrealistic and unworkable in practice.
1
Requiring every resident to travel 300 kilometres for registration would be ___.