adjective
-
not practical or workable
an impractical solution
-
not given to practical matters or gifted with practical skills
he is intelligent but too impractical for commercial work
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of impractical
Explanation
Something impractical is difficult or impossible to achieve. It might sound like a great idea, but it's not going to happen. It's just not practical. Impractical ideas make no sense or just can’t be done. Heels so high you have a fish swimming in them are cool, but very impractical. Trying to drive from New York to California in four hours, which could never happen, is impractical. Something impractical is not likely to work. Practical ideas are feasible, but impractical ideas are based on wishful thinking. When someone tells you an idea is impractical, she’s saying, "Get real."
Vocabulary lists containing impractical
The Diary of Anne Frank
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Viewing Current Refugee Crisis Through an Anne Frank Lens
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
im-
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Airdropping personnel with parachute systems is impractical because, unfortunately, the enemy's assets can neutralize them very rapidly," said 24-year-old instructor Axel.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Some U.S. officials thought the alleged plot was impractical, implausible, even impossible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
The central question is whether spacecraft could reach these asteroids, extract useful materials, and transport them to Mars without consuming so much energy and fuel that the entire effort becomes impractical.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
Given that you don’t live in the same state as your friend, it would be impractical to act as executor.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
But mainstream figures in science and the military disdained RW as ineffective, impractical, and immoral.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
