practicable

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Related to practicable: crotchety, snide

practicable

workable, achievable, attainable; feasible: a practicable solution to the problem

Not to be confused with:

practical – pragmatic; suited to actual conditions; useful; sensible: a practical person

prac·ti·ca·ble

(prăk′tĭ-kə-bəl)

adj.

1. Capable of being effected, done, or put into practice; feasible. See Synonyms at possible.

2. Usable for a specified purpose: a practicable way of entry.

[Medieval Latin prācticābilis, capable of being used, from prācticāre, to practice, from prāctica, practice, from Greek prāktikē, practical science, from feminine of prāktikos, fit for action, practical, from prāssein, prāk-, to make, do.]

prac′ti·ca·bil′i·ty n.

prac′ti·ca·bly adv.

Usage Note: It is easy to confuse practicable and practical because they look so much alike and overlap in meaning. Practicable means "feasible" as well as "usable," and it cannot be applied to persons. Practical has at least six meanings, including the sense "capable of being put into effect, useful," wherein the confusion with practicable arises. But there is a subtle distinction between these words that is worth keeping. For the purpose of ordering coffee in a Parisian café, it would be practical (that is, useful) to learn some French, but it still might not be practicable for someone with a busy schedule and little time to learn.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

practicable

(ˈpræktɪkəbəl)

adj

1. capable of being done; feasible

2. usable

[C17: from French praticable, from pratiquer to practise; see practical]

ˌpracticaˈbility, ˈpracticableness n

ˈpracticably adv

Usage: See at practical

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

prac•ti•ca•ble

(ˈpræk tɪ kə bəl)

adj.

1. capable of being done or put into practice with the available means; feasible.

2. capable of being used.

prac′ti•ca•bly, adv.

syn: See possible.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	practicable - usable for a specific purpose; "an operable plan"; "a practicable solution" operable practical - concerned with actual use or practice; "he is a very practical person"; "the idea had no practical application"; "a practical knowledge of Japanese"; "woodworking is a practical art"
	2.	practicable - capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are executable, feasible, viable, workable possible - capable of happening or existing; "a breakthrough may be possible next year"; "anything is possible"; "warned of possible consequences"

practicable

adjective feasible, possible, viable, workable, achievable, attainable, doable, within the realm of possibility, performable Teachers can only be expected to do what is practicable.
impossible, out of the question, unworkable, unattainable, unachievable, unfeasible, beyond the bounds of possibility see practical

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

practicable

adjective

1. Capable of occurring or being done:

feasible, possible, viable, workable.

Idiom: within reach.

2. Serving or capable of serving a useful purpose:

functional, handy, practical, serviceable, useful, utilitarian.

3. Available for use:

accessible, employable, open, operable, operative, usable, utilizable.

Translations

مُمْكِن عَمَلُه

použitelný

gennemførlig

durchführbar gangbar gehen

factible practicable realizable

réalisable

kivihetõ

framkvæmanlegur

eseguibile praticabile realizzabile realizzabilit...

įvykdomumasrealiai

lietojamspiepildāmsrealizējams

handig uitvoerbaar

gjennomførlig

uygulanabiliryapılabilir

可实行的行得通的

practicable

[ˈpræktɪkəbl] ADJ → practicable, viable, factible

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

practicable

[ˈpræktɪkəb^əl] adj [scheme] → réalisable
as soon as practicable → dès que possible
to be not reasonably practicable → n'être pas raisonnablement faisable

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

practicable

adj → durchführbar, praktikabel; road → befahrbar

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

practicable

[ˈpræktɪkəbl] adj (scheme) → praticabile, attuabile

practicable

(ˈprӕktikəbl) adjective

able to be used or done. a practicable plan.

ˈpracticably adverb

ˈpracticableness noun

ˌpracticaˈbility noun

References in classic literature ?

A few observations on this subject will be the more proper, as it is perceived that the adversaries of the new Constitution are availing themselves of the prevailing prejudice with regard to the practicable sphere of republican administration, in order to supply, by imaginary difficulties, the want of those solid objections which they endeavor in vain to find.

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At the conclusion of each massacre in either country, or as soon thereafter as practicable, or at stated regular periods, as may be provided by treaty, there shall be an exchange of scalps between the two Governments, scalp for scalp, without regard to sex or age; the Government having the greatest number is to be taxed on the excess at the rate of $1000 a scalp, and the other Government credited with the amount.

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Tumbled into the water, it accordingly is in such cases; the spare coils of box line (mentioned in a preceding chapter) making this feat, in most instances, prudently practicable. But this critical act is not always unattended with the saddest and most fatal casualties.

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In so opulent a nation as that of Britain, where direct taxes from superior wealth must be much more tolerable, and, from the vigor of the government, much more practicable, than in America, far the greatest part of the national revenue is derived from taxes of the indirect kind, from imposts, and from excises.

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(3) When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are.

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The mountains were lofty, with snowy peaks and cragged sides; it was hoped, however, that some practicable defile might be found.

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The most sanguine advocates for three or four confederacies cannot reasonably suppose that they would long remain exactly on an equal footing in point of strength, even if it was possible to form them so at first; but, admitting that to be practicable, yet what human contrivance can secure the continuance of such equality?

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This would carry them over the mountains about where the head-waters of the Platte and the Yellowstone take their rise, at a place much more easy and practicable than that where Lewis and Clarke had crossed.

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The three corresponding new sails were now bent and reefed, and a storm-trysail was set further aft; so that the ship soon went through the water with some precision again; and the course --for the present, East-south-east --which he was to steer, if practicable, was once more given to the helmsman.

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If he did not find it practicable to arrest Fogg at Hong Kong, and if Fogg made preparations to leave that last foothold of English territory, he, Fix, would tell Passepartout all.

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"It is possible, Haidee, that so perfect a seclusion, though conformable with the habits and customs of the East, may not be practicable in Paris.

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One of these ridges, which appeared more practicable than the rest, we determined to climb, convinced that it would conduct us to the heights beyond.