impractical

/ɪmˈpræktɪkl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpræktɪkl/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)im-ˈprak-ti-kəl/ (ame, mw)

impractical — 形容詞

  • impracticalpositive
  • more impracticalcomparative
  • most impracticalsuperlative

1. not having the natural ability to do manual jobs, fix household items, or organi

1.形容詞B2
釋義

不擅實作

不善於動手操作或修理東西的

not having the natural ability to do manual jobs, fix household items, or organise everyday tasks without help.

例句

Eli is completely impractical — when his sink broke, he tried to fix it with tape and flooded the kitchen.

Eli 非常不擅實作 — 洗手台壞掉的時候，他拿膠帶想自己修，結果整間廚房淹水。

be + completely impractical (person)

Renata called a handyman just to hang a single picture frame, which shows how impractical she is with simple tasks.

Renata 連掛個相框都要找師傅，可見她有多不擅長動手做簡單的事。

show how impractical [someone] is with [tasks]

同義詞
  • all thumbs

    informal idiom; narrower — only about clumsy hands

  • inept

    more formal; can suggest a lack of basic competence

  • hopeless

    informal and stronger; suggests no chance of improvement

反義詞
  • practical

    the direct opposite; naturally good at hands-on tasks

  • handy

    informal; especially good at fixing or building things

文法句型

be + impractical

impractical + noun (e.g. impractical person)

用法筆記

Describes a person's lack of practical skill. Unlike 'unskilled', which usually refers to professional or trained ability, 'impractical' covers everyday hands-on tasks and household organisation.

常見錯誤

❌My brother is impractical for fixing cars.
✅My brother is hopelessly impractical when it comes to fixing cars.
💡Use 'when it comes to' or 'at' rather than 'for' to connect the adjective to the task.

2. not likely to succeed in real life because carrying it out would be too difficul

2.形容詞B2
釋義

不切實際

計劃或想法難以實行、不符現實的

not likely to succeed in real life because carrying it out would be too difficult, slow, or costly.

例句

Stefan's plan to cycle across the Sahara in July was dismissed as wildly impractical by his friends.

Stefan 打算七月騎單車橫越撒哈拉沙漠，朋友們都說這個計劃太不切實際。

plan dismissed as impractical

The school board rejected the proposal as impractical, since finding fifty qualified teachers in a month was impossible.

校務委員會以不切實際為由駁回了提案，因為一個月內要找五十位合格老師根本不可能。

rejected as impractical

同義詞
  • unrealistic

    focuses on the plan ignoring real-world limits rather than on execution difficulty

  • unworkable

    stronger; suggests the plan cannot function at all

  • unfeasible

    more formal; suggests the plan cannot be done given available resources

反義詞
  • practical

    the direct opposite; able to be carried out in real life

  • feasible

    possible and realistic to achieve

  • sensible

    shows good judgment in practical matters

文法句型

it is impractical + to-infinitive

impractical + noun (e.g. impractical plan)

be + impractical

用法筆記

The most widely used sense of 'impractical'. Common with nouns such as 'plan', 'idea', 'suggestion', 'method', 'proposal'. The impersonal construction ('it is impractical to…') is a high-frequency pattern in both spoken and written English.

常見錯誤

❌This method is impractical to be used.
✅This method is impractical to use.
💡After 'impractical', use the active infinitive, not the passive.

3. designed in a way that makes ordinary daily use awkward, uncomfortable, or incon

3.形容詞B2
釋義

不實用

服裝或設備不適合日常使用的

designed in a way that makes ordinary daily use awkward, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.

例句

Faisal bought a white suede jacket that looked great but was deeply impractical for the rainy season.

Faisal 買了一件白色麂皮外套，雖然很好看，但在雨季穿非常不實用。

looks good but is impractical for [situation]

Sade's designer handbag was too small to hold a phone and a wallet — beautiful but impractical.

Sade 的名牌手提包小到連手機和錢包都放不進去 — 漂亮但不實用。

同義詞
  • inconvenient

    broader; can also apply to schedules, locations, etc.

  • awkward

    emphasises physical discomfort or difficulty of use

  • unsuitable

    suggests the item is wrong for a specific purpose or setting

反義詞
  • practical

    the direct opposite; convenient and suitable for everyday use

  • functional

    emphasises that something works well

  • convenient

    easy and comfortable to use

文法句型

impractical + noun (e.g. impractical shoes)

be + impractical (e.g. the design is impractical)

用法筆記

This sense applies only to physical objects — clothing, accessories, furniture, devices. It is often used with a contrasting pattern like 'beautiful but impractical' or 'looks good but is impractical' to highlight the trade-off between appearance and usefulness.