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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of practical
Ian Holzhauer, a former Air Force JAG officer and current councilman, brings deep roots and a practical mindset to local government.
—
Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
In addition to the technological advances required to put a human on Mars, however, is the very practical necessity of developing sustainable food sources in space.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
This April, the discount grocery chain is stocking its shelves with adorable decor, practical porch and patio furniture, and charming Easter tableware—plus snacks, appetizers, mains, and desserts with seasonal flair.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
Sarah Jessica Parker even broke out a cropped version, which is so practical for warm weather.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical
Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
In addition to the technological advances required to put a human on Mars, however, is the very practical necessity of developing sustainable food sources in space.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
This April, the discount grocery chain is stocking its shelves with adorable decor, practical porch and patio furniture, and charming Easter tableware—plus snacks, appetizers, mains, and desserts with seasonal flair.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
Sarah Jessica Parker even broke out a cropped version, which is so practical for warm weather.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical
Adjective
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My colleague, Jim Handy, who co-authors a report on emerging non-volatile memory with me, created a useful representation of a hierarchy of digital storage and memory technology, shown below.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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Inter’s fluidity in possession might be particularly useful when looking to bypass Bayern Munich’s relentless press.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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First, the courts – and in particular the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts – have been expanding corporate constitutional rights, which could allow dual-class founders to carve out exceptions to generally applicable laws.—
Gregory H. Shill,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2025
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And to be sure, some may be more applicable to large companies in general, and to the financial services sector in particular, than to the broader commercial sector.—
Michael Peregrine,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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An incredibly realistic short almond nail set that may just have your friends fooled.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
14 Apr. 2025
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One path leads to more realistic pricing that reflects the true cost and value of these advanced systems.—
Andrew Filev,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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 19 Apr. 2025.
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