Meaning & use

impractical

adjective·Academic

Not sensible or workable in practice, despite perhaps seeming reasonable in theory.

See it in a sentence

Carrying an umbrella that size is impractical on a crowded train.

The design looked elegant but proved impractical for everyday use.

A note on using this word

Impractical focuses on real-world usability, whereas unrealistic focuses more on unlikely outcomes.

Words with a similar meaning

unworkableunrealistic

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

practicalworkable

Make it your own

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