impractical

/ɪmˈpræktəkəl/

/ɪmˈpræktɪkəl/

Other forms: impractically

Something impractical is difficult or impossible to achieve. It might sound like a great idea, but it's not going to happen. It's just not practical.

Impractical ideas make no sense or just can’t be done. Heels so high you have a fish swimming in them are cool, but very impractical. Trying to drive from New York to California in four hours, which could never happen, is impractical. Something impractical is not likely to work. Practical ideas are feasible, but impractical ideas are based on wishful thinking. When someone tells you an idea is impractical, she’s saying, "Get real."

Definitions of impractical

1. adjective

   not practical; not workable or not given to practical matters
   “refloating the ship proved impractical because of the expense”

   “he is intelligent but too impractical for commercial work”

   “an impractical solution”

   synonyms:

   impossible

   not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

   crazy, half-baked, screwball, softheaded

   foolish; totally unsound

   meshuga, meshugga, meshugge, meshuggeneh, meshuggener

   senseless; crazy

   quixotic, romantic, wild-eyed

   not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic

   unfunctional

   not related to or suitable for everyday needs or activities

   unwieldy

   difficult to work or manipulate

   unrealistic

   not realistic

   antonyms:

   practical

   concerned with actual use or practice

   concrete

   capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary

   possible

   capable of happening or existing

   applicative, applicatory

   readily applicable or practical

   functional

   designed for or adapted to a function or use

   interoperable

   able to exchange and use information

   matter-of-fact, pragmatic, pragmatical

   concerned with practical matters

   operable, practicable

   usable for a specific purpose

   serviceable

   intended or able to serve a purpose without elaboration

   unimaginative

   dealing only with concrete facts

   working

   adequate for practical use; especially sufficient in strength or numbers to accomplish something

   objectivist, objectivistic, realistic

   aware or expressing awareness of things as they really are

   serviceable

   ready for service or able to give long service
2. adjective

   not practical or realizable; speculative
   synonyms: Laputan, airy, visionary, windy

   utopian

   characterized by or aspiring to impracticable perfection