Impractical

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Impractical

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adjective

Pronunciation

im-PRAK-tih-kul  /ɪmˈpraktɪk(ə)l/

Definition

Not adapted for use or action; not sensible or realistic; (of a person) not skilled at doing practical tasks.

Plain meaning

Impractical means not sensible, realistic, or useful in practice — even if an idea is theoretically interesting or appealing, it may be impractical because it cannot work effectively in real-world conditions. An impractical plan has good intentions but no workable method of execution. An impractical person is good at ideas but struggles with everyday tasks. Impractical is milder than impracticable — something impractical could in theory be done, but it would be inadvisable or inefficient.

Register

Neutral. Impractical is used across all registers — in everyday speech, technical writing, and formal analysis. It is a mild criticism — saying something is impractical is less damning than saying it is impossible or unworkable.