pragmatic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a practical point of view or practical considerations.
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Philosophy. of or relating to pragmatism.
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of or relating to pragmatics.
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treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions, and results.
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of or relating to the affairs of state or community.
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Archaic.
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busy; active.
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officious; meddlesome; interfering.
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dogmatic; opinionated.
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noun
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Archaic. an officious or meddlesome person.
adjective
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advocating behaviour that is dictated more by practical consequences than by theory or dogma
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philosophy of or relating to pragmatism
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involving everyday or practical business
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of or concerned with the affairs of a state or community
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rare interfering or meddlesome; officious
Usage
What does pragmatic mean? Pragmatic means practical, especially when making decisions.The word pragmatic is often contrasted with the word idealistic, which means based on or having high principles or ideals. Pragmatic, on the other hand, means based on real world conditions or circumstances—considering what can realistically be done as opposed to the best theoretical course of action. A person who acts pragmatically can be called a pragmatist.The noun form of pragmatic is pragmatism. Pragmatism can mean the practice of being pragmatic, but it can also more specifically refer to the philosophical movement that emphasizes practical consequences in the determination of meaning, truth, or value.Example: We need a candidate who’s pragmatic and can get things done in the real world—not some idealist who will never compromise.
Other Word Forms
- antipragmatic adjective
- antipragmatical adjective
- antipragmatically adverb
- nonpragmatic adjective
- nonpragmatical adjective
- nonpragmatically adverb
- pragmaticality noun
- pragmatically adverb
- pragmaticalness noun
- unpragmatic adjective
- unpragmatical adjective
- unpragmatically adverb
Etymology
Origin of pragmatic
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin prāgmaticus, from Greek prāgmatikós “practical,” equivalent to prāgmat-, stem of prâgma “deed, state business,” derivative of prā́ssein “to do, fare” + -ikos -ic; practic
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.
These rules reflect pragmatic judgments about access, reliability, and the realities of modern voting systems.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is known as a hard-liner with a pragmatic streak.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
“The American people need their leaders to be honest and pragmatic about the threat of the climate crisis. We will not let the federal government abandon its responsibility to the people.”
From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026
Fink says countries need to be pragmatic about their energy mix by using all sources available to them, but providing cheap energy is key to driving growth and raising living standards.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
He had to make an effort to recover his usual state of mind, which was realistic and pragmatic.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
