pragmatic

Language: en

🇬🇧 /præˈgmætɪk/ 🇺🇸 /præˈgmætɪk/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.; Relating to or concerned with practical matters and the actual course of events, as opposed to ideal or theoretical considerations.; Of or relating to the philosophical movement of pragmatism, which holds that the meaning and truth of ideas are determined by their practical consequences.; Relating to pragmatics, the branch of linguistics that deals with language in use and the contexts in which it is used, including such matters as deixis, presupposition, and speech acts.; Meddlesome; officious; busy; interfering in the affairs of others without being asked.
  2. noun
    A person who is pragmatic; one who deals with matters in a practical way.; A public decree or edict, especially one issued by a sovereign or government authority (historical usage, from Latin 'pragmatica').; A meddlesome or officious person; a busybody (archaic).

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more pragmatic Superlative: most pragmatic

Collocations

pragmatic approachpragmatic solutionpragmatic decisionpragmatic viewpragmatic aboutpragmatic choice

Derivatives

pragmaticallypragmatismpragmatistpragmatize

Synonyms

practicalrealisticsensibledown-to-earthutilitarianmatter-of-fact

Antonyms

idealisticimpracticalunrealisticdogmatic

Commonly confused

practical
EN: 'Practical' is a general term for something useful or feasible; 'pragmatic' implies a systematic, results-oriented philosophy that prioritizes what works over theory or ideals.
dogmatic
EN: 'Dogmatic' means rigidly adhering to doctrine or rules; 'pragmatic' is its near-opposite, emphasizing flexibility and real-world results.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'gm' cluster in the middle: 'prag-mat-ic'. A common error is transposing letters to write 'pragamtic'.

💬 Examples

  1. She took a pragmatic approach to solving the budget crisis, focusing on immediate cuts rather than long-term reforms.

  2. The pragmatic philosophy of William James emphasizes the practical consequences of beliefs as the basis for their truth.

  3. Peirce is often credited as the founder of the pragmatic tradition in American philosophy.

  4. The pragmatic meaning of an utterance often differs significantly from its literal semantic content.

  5. The pragmatic neighbor kept offering unsolicited advice about how to raise our children.

  6. He was a pragmatic who believed that results mattered more than ideology.

  7. The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was issued by Emperor Charles VI to ensure the Habsburg succession.

  8. The old pragmatic went from house to house, inserting himself into every dispute in the village.