practicable

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prācticābilis, partly modelled on Middle French praticable.[1] By surface analysis, practice (verb) +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpɹæktɪkəbəl/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

practicable (not comparable)

  1. Capable of being accomplished; feasible.
    • 1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 433:
      Those who have concerned themselves exclusively with what seemed practicable in the existing state of opinion have constantly found that even this has rapidly become politically impossible as the result of changes in a public opinion which they have done nothing to guide.
    • 1986, Fred Matheny, Solo Cycling: How to Train and Race Bicycle Time Trials, page 136:
      The law in most states says that cyclists must ride as far to the right as is practicable.
    • 2010 September 13, Publishers Weekly, Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians‎[1], archived from the original on 7 August 2026:
      This sober and unflinching analysis should be read and reckoned with by anyone concerned with practicable change in the long-suffering region.
    • 2023 May 4, Jack Bantock, “Tee-k Tock: The ‘appalling’ slow play controversy riling golf’s biggest stars”, in CNN‎[2], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 25 April 2025:
      “The player should usually be able to play more quickly than that and is encouraged to do so,” the guidelines state, with golfers that exceed 40 seconds – AKA “bad time” – “informed as soon as practicable” by a tournament official.
    • 2025 January 21, Christian Edwards, “What is the World Health Organization and why does Trump want to leave it?”, in CNN‎[3], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 24 April 2026:
      Monday’s executive order called on the secretary of state and director of the Office of Management and Budget to pause funding “with all practicable speed.”
  2. Serving a useful function; useful, functional or handy.
  3. Available for use; accessible or employable.
    • 1897 March 13 – June 19, Richard Marsh [pseudonym; Richard Bernard Heldmann], The Beetle (The Adelphi Library; 4), London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, […], published 1920, →OCLC:
      I glanced up, — there was no trap door which led to the roof. No practicable nook or cranny, in which a living being could lie concealed, was anywhere at hand.

Usage notes

Example of use contrasted with practical:

  • "While others might agree that it was practical to rewrite the entire section, it was not truly practicable given other considerations."

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

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Translations to be checked

References

  1. ^ “practicable, adj. and n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Catalan

Etymology

    From practicar +‎ -able.

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    practicable m or f (masculine and feminine plural practicables)

    1. practicable, feasible
      Antonym: impracticable

    Derived terms

    Further reading

    Spanish

    Etymology

    Etymology tree
    Spanish practicar
    Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom
    Proto-Italic *-ðlom
    Proto-Italic *-ðlis
    Latin -bilis
    Latin -ābilis
    Old Spanish -abile
    Spanish -able
    Spanish practicable

      From practicar + -able.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /pɾaɡtiˈkable/ [pɾaɣ̞.t̪iˈka.β̞le]
      • Rhymes: -able
      • Syllabification: prac‧ti‧ca‧ble

      Adjective

      practicable m or f (masculine and feminine plural practicables)

      1. practicable, feasible
        Antonym: impracticable

      Derived terms

      Further reading

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