practicable

[ prak-ti-kuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of being done, effected, or put into practice, with the available means; feasible:

   a practicable solution.

   Synonyms: achievable, attainable, workable

   Antonyms: unfeasible

2. capable of being used:

   a practicable gift.

3. Theater. (of a stage property or part of a set) designed or constructed for actual use; a practicable window; practicable water faucets.

practicable

/ ˈpræktɪkəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being done; feasible
2. usable

Usage

See practical

Derived Forms

• ˌpracticaˈbility, noun
• ˈpracticably, adverb

Other Words From

• practi·ca·bili·ty practi·ca·ble·ness noun
• practi·ca·bly adverb
• nonprac·ti·ca·bili·ty noun
• non·practi·ca·ble adjective
• non·practi·ca·ble·ness noun
• non·practi·ca·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of practicable¹

1660–70; < Medieval Latin practic ( āre ) to practice + -able

Word History and Origins

Origin of practicable¹

C17: from French praticable, from pratiquer to practise; see practical

Synonym Study

See possible.

Example Sentences

His counterfactual musings don't provide any practicable, coherent or implementable alternatives.

From The Daily Beast

It makes his prescriptions particularly powerful because they are practicable, if not a little ambitious.

From The Daily Beast

ARIES Power of concentration is at a peak, percolating grains of ideas into practicable projects.

From The Daily Beast

But what might have been very practicable for eight hundred and sixty men, was impossible for three hundred and sixty.

From Project Gutenberg

My coup-d'œil assured me that it was practicable to give to this feature the character of a projecting under-jaw.

From Project Gutenberg

A study of blood bacteriology is useful, but is hardly practicable for the practitioner.

From Project Gutenberg

It was not practicable to deny a legal-tender value to so much Mexican, and Spanish-Philippine coin in circulation.

From Project Gutenberg

But it was not, in fact, found practicable to avoid improving the accommodation, even for the able-bodied.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• achievable
• applicable
• attainable
• doable
• feasible
• handy
• practical
• viable
• workable