What does impractical mean?
Word: Impractical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Impractical means not workable or useful in real life, or too hard to carry out.
Synonyms: unrealistic, unworkable, unsuitable
Antonyms: practical, realistic
How do you spell impractical?
Syllables: im - prac - ti - cal
Tricky part: The ending is -ical, not -icle, and the t before it stays: prac-ti-cal.
Watch out for: impracticle, impractial, impracticall
Memory tip: Spot the word act inside: impr-ACT-ical. If you can see act, you have not dropped the t.
Impractical in a sentence
Example 1: White shoes are impractical for a muddy village fair.
Example 2: Building a swimming pool on the school roof sounded fun but was impractical.
Example 3: My cousin's plan to cycle from London to Rome in one day was totally impractical.
Fun Fact
Impracticable is a different word. Something impracticable cannot be done at all, while something impractical can be done but is not sensible.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct word for the blank:
Carrying a full-size piano on a school picnic would be ________.
a) impractical
b) impolite
c) imperfect
d) impatient
Show answer
a) impractical. A piano is far too big to take on a picnic, so the idea would not work: it is impractical.
Word Puzzle
Match each word in the first list with the right word in the second list:
1. impractical 2. reluctant 3. permanent a. temporary b. eager c. sensible
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
Show answer
d) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a. Each pair is a pair of opposites: impractical and sensible, reluctant and eager, permanent and temporary.
Word Fusion
Which two options join to make a word that means not sensible or workable?
1. im 2. mis 3. practical 4. ful 5. de 6. ly
a) 2 and 3
b) 5 and 6
c) 3 and 4
d) 1 and 3
Show answer
d) 1 and 3. Im + practical gives impractical; mis and de do not join practical, and practical does not take ful.
Spellacadabra
Choose the misspelt word:
a) impractical
b) magical
c) typpical
d) critical
Show answer
c) typpical. Typical has one p, like type.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Something impractical is not suited to the situation. Which choice fits that?
a) a raincoat in heavy rain
b) a cold drink on a hot day
c) a woollen coat in a Chennai summer
d) an umbrella in the monsoon
Show answer
c) a woollen coat in a Chennai summer
2. Neha said that building a treehouse in one afternoon was impractical. What did she mean?
a) It could not be done in time.
b) It was a very old plan.
c) It was a very clever plan.
d) It was a very cheap plan.
Show answer
a) It could not be done in time.
