impractical

[ im-prak-ti-kuhl ]
See synonyms for impractical on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not practical or useful.

  2. not capable of dealing with practical matters; lacking sense.

Origin of impractical

1
First recorded in 1860–65; im-2 + practical

Other words from impractical

  • im·prac·ti·cal·i·ty, im·prac·ti·cal·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with impractical

Words Nearby impractical

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use impractical in a sentence

  • Then life would, to this impractical philosopher, again become worth living.

    The Real Latin Quarter | F. Berkeley Smith
  • Scowlingly Bill thought over one plan after another, and rejected each as impractical.

    Mystery Ranch | Arthur Chapman
  • The impractical view of life which art seemed to demand of its devotees was enough to arouse suspicion, if not her actual dislike.

    The Dragon Painter | Mary McNeil Fenollosa
  • impractical men have told me that right will always triumph of itself; it needs no fighters to support it.

    The Iron Puddler | James J. Davis
  • I established a protective screen, but realized that to set up a permanent defense would be impractical and even harmful.

    Indirection | Everett B. Cole

British Dictionary definitions for impractical

impractical

/ (ɪmˈpræktɪkəl) /


adjective
  1. not practical or workable: an impractical solution

  2. not given to practical matters or gifted with practical skills: he is intelligent but too impractical for commercial work

Derived forms of impractical

  • impracticality or impracticalness, noun
  • impractically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012