impracticability

Everyday

1. The quality of being impossible or almost impossible to do in practice. tree →
2. (formal) Something that cannot be done because of real-world limits like cost, time or difficulty. tree →

In the lessons

A stiff, formal word in reports, law and exams: «the impracticability of the plan» means the plan cannot really be carried out. Children rarely say it; in plain words it is «it just won't work». Phrases: the impracticability of, owing to its impracticability.

Examples

• The council dropped the bridge plan because of its impracticability. tree →
• The impracticability of moving the whole school in one day was obvious. tree →
• Owing to the impracticability of the trip, it was cancelled. tree →
• The report explained the impracticability of building on the marsh. tree →
• My teacher pointed out the impracticability of feeding a hundred pets. tree →
• Everyone could see the impracticability of a swimming pool on the roof. tree →

Note

Long formal word: im-prac-ti-ca-bil-i-ty. Adjective «impracticable». Compare «impracticality» (being not sensible or useful), a close but different idea.