Practical vs Practicable: Difference and Comparison

Knowing the difference the difference between practical and practicable is important. It’s often confusing to understand the difference between these two words, practical vs practicable and how to use them in sentences.

As a noun, the English dictionary defines the term “practical” as that part of an examination or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability. As an adjective, the word “practical” is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.

The word “practicable” is an adjective and it’s defined as capable of being accomplished, or feasible.

In this article, we have discussed the difference between practical and practicable, with a few examples of sentences using both words.

What Is the Meaning of Practical?

The English dictionary defines the term “practical” (noun) as that part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability.

As an adjective, the definition of the term “practical” is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.

The term, practical relates to the practicality of a specific solution or approach. If someone is considered as being practical, they possess the skills or knowledge that are practical.

Generally, the word practical is used in the sense opposite to theoretical.

For example; “My tutor has a sound practical knowledge of computers”.

In the above sentence, it’s clearly stated that the person is equipped with the non-theoretical knowledge of computers. The sentence indicates that the person was good at repairing computers.

Additionally, practical can mean “easy to put into practice” or “able to do”. The English word practical also has other uses, such as describing things related to or concerned with action as well as the result of actions.

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Etymology

Practical is often used as an adjective and at times used as a noun. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the Middle English word was derived from the Late Latin word “practicus” from the Greek “praktikos, from “prassein” (to pass over, fare, do).

What Is the Meaning of Practicable?

The term “practicable” is an adjective, and it’s defined as capable of being accomplished or feasible. The word practicable describes things such as a theory, a plan, a method, or a suggestion- these are things that can be put into practice.

So, something is considered practicable if it’s possible to execute, regardless of any potential obstacles or challenges.

Practicable, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as “able to be done or put into practice successfully”. Practicable as a word is used to express plans that can be executed.

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Practical vs Practicable: Key Difference between Practical and Practicable

As an adjective, the definition of the term “practical” is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.

The term, practical relates to the practicality of a specific solution or approach. If someone is considered as being practical, they possess the skills or knowledge that are practical.

The term “practicable” is an adjective and it’s defined as capable of being accomplished, feasible. The term “practicable” primarily signifies the feasibility of something and mainly revolves around the idea of whether something can be executed or put into action.

If an idea is considered practicable, it simply means that it’s possible to achieve or implement it.

The term “practical” is often used as an adjective and a noun. It’s used more often than “practicable”.

Generally, people refer to practical advice or solutions as being applicable and useful in our everyday lives. The word “practical” is used in the sense opposite to theoretical.

On the other hand, practicable would be used in a more specific scenario, especially when discussing the feasibility of some sort of action or plan.

Also, the word “practical” can hint at an individual’s aptitude or inclination. A practical person is regarded as someone grounded in reality over theoretical ideas.

Practicable as a word remains primarily focused on the viability of actions or tasks.

Practical vs Practicable: More Key Differences between Practical and Practicable

Here are more differences between practical vs practicable.

• Practical is an English word that is often used as an adjective and a noun.
• Practicable as a word is used to express plans that can be executed.
• The term “practical” is used in the sense opposite to theoretical.
• The term “practicable” is sometimes suggestive of usability.
• A person who is sensible and realistic is regarded as a practical person.
• The term “practical” is a word concerned with practice or use over theory.

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Practical vs Practicable: Comparison Chart

	Practical	Practicable
Definition	The English dictionary defines the term “practical” (noun) as that part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability.	The term “practicable” is an adjective and it’s defined as capable of being accomplished, feasible.
Usage context	More broadly used and relates to utility in everyday situations.	Primarily pertains to the feasibility of tasks or plans.
Person descriptor	Can describe an individual’s approach or nature.	Not used to describe people.
Related terms	Functional, utilitarian	Achievable, feasible
Frequently	Frequently used in various contexts	Not commonly used in everyday speech.

Practical vs Practicable: How to Use Practical and Practicable in Sentences

Let’s look at some examples of sentences with the terms “practical” vs “practicable”.

Examples of Sentences with the Term “Practical”

• I must admit that he is the most practical and organized person I have ever met.
• This is an important seminar for supervisors and leaders looking for the practical definition of business marketing strategy and how it works.
• My neighbour has a sound practical knowledge of computers.
• The practical solution to solving the problem of traffic is to implement a carpooling program.
• The new design is visually appealing, but it’s not practical for everyday use.
• Although it may be possible to hand-paint every piece, it’s not practical considering the time and cost.
• The company’s new policy is practical because it allows its employees to balance work and personal responsibilities.
• After a thorough research, the team of experts concluded that the new software system was the most practical choice for the establishment.
• The changes to the curriculum were considered to be practical.
• The company decided that the most practical solution was to upgrade their technology.

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Examples of Sentences with the Term “Practicable”

• Climate activists believe that planting trees is by far the most practicable way to manage global warming.
• It’s not practicable for sponsors to obtain informed consent when conducting their investigations.
• All that is required is two sensible and practicable financial revolutions.
• After extensive and thorough testing, the software determined that the files were not practicable to be used for the new project.
• The company introduced new safety rules that are practicable and easier for its employees to follow.
• Although it may seem possible to build a skyscraper out of ice, it’s not practicable considering the cost.
• The new software system is practicable and it provides a user-friendly experience to complete tasks.
• Although building a spacecraft that can travel at the speed of light is exciting, it’s not currently practicable with our modern technology.

Conclusion

Practical and practicable are two words in English that are often confusing on how to use them in a sentence.

As an adjective, the definition of the term “practical” is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. If someone is considered as being practical, they possess the skills or knowledge that are practical.

Practicable, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as “able to be done or put into practice successfully”.

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References

• Grammarist: Practicable vs. practical
• EnglishComposition.org: Practicable vs Practical: Here’s the Difference in Meaning and Usage