Practical vs. Practicable – Which is Correct?

While both practical and practicable are valid adjectives, they carry distinct meanings. Practical describes something useful, sensible, or effective in real-world application. Practicable, on the other hand, refers to something that is capable of being done or put into practice, emphasizing feasibility.

Practical or Practicable – Which is Correct?

Both “practical” and “practicable” are correct words in American English, but they are not interchangeable. The core difference lies in their focus: practical relates to usefulness and common sense, while practicable relates to possibility and feasibility. Something can be practical (useful) but not practicable (too difficult or costly to implement), and vice-versa.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

The best trick to remember the difference is to focus on the ‘able’ suffix in practicable. This suffix means “capable of being” or “able to be done.” So, if you’re asking if something can be done, use practicable. If you’re asking if something is sensible or effective, use practical. Think: “Is it able to be put into practice?” for practicable, and “Is it useful in practice?” for practical.

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
Practical	Adjective	Relating to actual experience or use; sensible, realistic, effective, useful.	The new software offers many practical solutions for our team.
Practicable	Adjective	Capable of being done, put into practice, or accomplished; feasible.	Implementing the new policy immediately might not be practicable due to budget constraints.

How to Use Practical

The word “practical” is an adjective used to describe things that are concerned with actual doing or use rather than theory and ideas. It often implies a sense of usefulness, effectiveness, or common sense. It can refer to skills, solutions, objects, or even people who are grounded and realistic. “Practical” is a very common word in everyday language and professional contexts.

Example 1: The architect designed a beautiful yet practical kitchen with ample storage.

Example 2: Learning a second language has many practical benefits for travelers.

Example 3: She always offers such practical advice; it’s never abstract or theoretical.

What are the different forms of Practical?

As an adjective, “practical” has comparative and superlative forms:

• Positive: practical (e.g., a practical idea)
• Comparative: more practical (e.g., a more practical approach)
• Superlative: most practical (e.g., the most practical solution)

The adverb form is “practically” (e.g., He practically ran the whole company, or It’s practically impossible). The noun form is “practicality” (e.g., We need to consider the practicality of the plan).

Etymology of the word Practical

The word “practical” comes from the Late Latin practicālis, which means “pertaining to practice.” This, in turn, is derived from the Greek praktikos, meaning “fit for action, fit for business, active, effective,” from prassein (earlier prattein) “to do, act, effect, accomplish.” It entered English in the late 14th century.

How to Use Practicable

“Practicable” is an adjective that describes something capable of being done or put into practice. It focuses on the feasibility or possibility of an action or plan. If something is “practicable,” it means it can be achieved, often implying that it is not too difficult, expensive, or complex to carry out. It is less common than “practical” and is frequently used in formal or technical contexts, particularly when discussing plans, policies, or engineering solutions.

Example 1: Given the tight deadline, a complete overhaul of the system is not practicable.

Example 2: The engineers are assessing whether building a bridge across the canyon is financially practicable.

Example 3: We need to find a practicable way to reduce waste in the manufacturing process.

What are the different forms of Practicable?

As an adjective, “practicable” has comparative and superlative forms:

• Positive: practicable (e.g., a practicable suggestion)
• Comparative: more practicable (e.g., a more practicable alternative)
• Superlative: most practicable (e.g., the most practicable solution)

The adverb form is “practicably” (e.g., The task must be completed as practicably as possible). The noun form is “practicability” (e.g., The practicability of the proposal is still under review).

Etymology of the word Practicable

“Practicable” also originates from Late Latin, specifically practicābilis, meaning “that can be done.” It shares the root with “practical” from Greek praktikos and prassein. The suffix “-able” (from Latin -abilis) denotes “capable of, susceptible of, fit for, tending to,” emphasizing the ability to be put into practice. It first appeared in English in the early 17th century, slightly later than “practical.”

Related Concepts

Understanding broader grammatical and semantic concepts can help clarify the distinction between words like “practical” and “practicable,” which often cause confusion due to their similar appearance but different nuances.

• Adjectives of Possibility/Feasibility: Words like “practicable,” “feasible,” “viable,” and “achievable” all convey the idea that something can be successfully carried out. They describe whether an action or plan is within the realm of possibility.
• Adjectives of Utility/Effectiveness: Words such as “practical,” “useful,” “effective,” “sensible,” and “functional” describe whether something serves a purpose well, is efficient, or is grounded in reality. They focus on the positive impact or common-sense aspect of a thing.

Examples from Media and Literature

• “The practical effect of this was that the more money you had, the more you could afford to pay your lawyer, and the more likely you were to win your case.” — The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
• “It is not practicable to do business in this country without a local partner.” — Financial Times, June 2026
• “He had a very practical mind, always looking for the most efficient way to solve a problem.” — Contemporary novel excerpt
• “The committee debated whether the proposed changes to the city’s infrastructure were truly practicable given the current budget.” — The New York Times, May 2026
• “While the theory was fascinating, the professor emphasized the need for a more practical application in their research.” — Academic journal abstract

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

1. The company’s new policy aims to find a more ___________ way to reduce its carbon footprint.
2. Despite the brilliant concept, the invention was not _______________ to manufacture on a large scale.
3. Always carry a first-aid kit; it’s a highly _______________ item for any outdoor activity.
4. After careful consideration, they concluded that the ambitious project was simply not _______________ with the available resources.
5. She prefers a _______________ approach to problem-solving, focusing on real-world solutions.

Answer Key

1. practical (referring to usefulness/effectiveness)
2. practicable (referring to feasibility of manufacturing)
3. practical (referring to usefulness/sensibleness)
4. practicable (referring to possibility/feasibility with resources)
5. practical (referring to a sensible, real-world approach)

Practical Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Useful	Able to be used for a practical purpose or in several ways.
Sensible	Chosen in accordance with wisdom or prudence; reasonable.
Realistic	Having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected.
Functional	Designed to be practical and useful rather than attractive.
Workable	Capable of being put into practice; feasible. (Note: Can overlap with practicable, but often implies “practical and able to be done.”)

Practicable Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Feasible	Possible to do easily or conveniently.
Viable	Capable of working successfully; feasible.
Achievable	Capable of being successfully done or brought about.
Workable	Capable of being put into practice; practicable.
Possible	Able to be done; within the power or capacity of someone or something.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Can something be practical but not practicable?
Yes, absolutely. An idea might be very practical (useful and sensible), such as providing free education for all, but it might not be practicable (feasible to implement) due to immense costs or logistical challenges.

Question 2: Are “feasible” and “practicable” interchangeable?
They are very close in meaning and often can be used interchangeably. Both refer to the possibility of doing something. “Feasible” is perhaps slightly more common and broadly applicable, while “practicable” specifically emphasizes the ability to be put into practice or carried out.

Question 3: How does “practically” relate to “practicable”?
“Practically” is the adverb form of “practical,” meaning “in a practical manner” or “almost, nearly.” It does not directly relate to “practicable.” The adverb form of “practicable” is “practicably,” meaning “in a practicable manner,” though this is far less common in everyday speech.

Conclusion

Distinguishing between practical and practicable enriches your vocabulary and precision in communication. Remember that something practical is useful, sensible, and effective in real-world application, while something practicable is capable of being done or put into practice, focusing on its feasibility. Understanding this nuance allows you to convey specific intentions, whether discussing the utility of a solution or the possibility of its implementation. Pro Tip: Using the correct word demonstrates a strong command of language, which is invaluable in both professional and academic settings.