impractical

UK: /ɪmˈpræktɪk^əl/ US: /ɪmˈpræktɪkəl/ ,(im prak′ti kəl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

im•prac•ti•cal /ɪmˈpræktɪkəl/   adj. 

1. not practical or useful:
   Running a household without a budget is impractical.
   [ it + be + ~ (+ for + obj) + to + verb]:
   It's impractical (for us) to run our household without a budget.
2. incapable of dealing sensibly with ordinary matters:
   What an impractical professor; he can't even change a light bulb.
3. idealistic:
   an impractical belief that everyone is good.
   [ it + be + ~ (+ for + obj ) + to + verb]:
   It's a bit impractical (for you) to hope that everyone will be nice to you.
4. impracticable.

im•prac•ti•cal•i•ty /ɪmˌpræktɪˈkælɪti/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

im•prac•ti•cal  (im prak′ti kəl), adj. 

1. not practical or useful.
2. not capable of dealing with practical matters;
   lacking sense.
3. idealistic.
4. impracticable.

• im-² + practical 1860–65

im•prac′ti•cal′i•ty, im•prac′ti•cal•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

impractical / ɪmˈpræktɪk^əl/ adjective

1. not practical or workable: an impractical solution
2. not given to practical matters or gifted with practical skills

imˌpractiˈcality, imˈpracticalness noun

imˈpractically adverb