an impractical idea

USAGE SUMMARY

"an impractical idea" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing concepts or plans that are not feasible or realistic. Example: "While the proposal was creative, it ultimately proved to be an impractical idea." Alternative expressions include "a foolish notion" and "an unworkable plan."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

President Barack Obama said reparations was an impractical idea in 2016.

The Washington Post

Looking into her coffee, she said, "I'm engaged in an impractical idea, I know that.

The New Yorker

By bringing undeserved attention to an impractical idea, it drew enough wrath to raise its own profile.

The New York Times

It may be an impractical idea that would never actually happen during a Trump presidency, but going back on both that and deportation in one speech is asking for a revolt.

The Washington Post

In her eagerness to cut Flora down she becomes something of a mouthpiece for her dead grandmother; she ponders what Nonie's response to a situation would be, then answers accordingly, often sounding like the adult talking the childlike Flora out of an impractical idea.

The Guardian - Books

It seems like an impractical idea at first, but it's a boon for callers who want to save some dough (at times, discounts can reach as high as 99%) and for the operators that maintain the network (Dynamic Discounting can mean lower loads during peak hours, if customers bite).

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

All frozen breakfast foods seem like a bad, impractical idea to me.

Vice

It's a horribly impractical idea that would cost billions and do all sorts of harm, but the voters excited about it obviously haven't run the numbers or looked closely at the proposal (there isn't even a detailed proposal to look at) -- rather, the wall, as a symbol, speaks to their feelings about immigration and humiliation and American greatness and whatever else.

HuffPost

Now, executives tend to think of mass customization as a fascinating but impractical idea, the preserve of a small number of extreme cases, such as Dell Inc. in the PC market.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

It sounds like a dreamy but impractical idea, but he added this to ground it in reality: "Have you ever given a book to someone?

The New York Times

The adjective gargantuan, literally referring to anything of Gargantua's size, first appeared in the late 1500s, while a related (and criminally underused) noun gargantuism has been used to mean "an enormously extravagant but impractical idea" since the mid-19th century.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an impractical idea" when you want to criticize a suggestion based on its lack of utility or feasibility without necessarily attacking the creativity behind it. It is an effective way to ground a discussion in reality while remaining professional.

Common error

Avoid using "an impractical idea" when you actually mean an idea is offensive or socially unacceptable. Impractical refers strictly to the lack of sensible application or functional possibility, not to the moral or social consequences of a plan.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an impractical idea" functions as a standard noun phrase consisting of an indefinite article, an attributive adjective, and a count noun. According to Ludwig AI, it is frequently used to provide a qualitative assessment of a proposal or thought process. It often appears as a complement after linking verbs like "is" or "seems".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "an impractical idea" is a robust and essential phrase in the English language for expressing skepticism regarding the feasibility of a plan. Ludwig AI results indicate that it is a favorite among journalists and scholars for describing everything from political reparations to technological fantasies like border walls or extreme mass customization. Its strength lies in its clarity and its ability to distinguish between the merit of a thought and the possibility of its execution. Whether you are writing a critique for The New York Times or discussing a project in a business meeting, this phrase provides a professional way to navigate the boundaries of what is possible and what is merely visionary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unworkable plan

Focuses specifically on the failure of the execution phase rather than the abstract concept.

an unrealistic proposal

More formal and often used in professional or policy-making environments.

an infeasible suggestion

Uses more technical vocabulary to describe a lack of practical possibility.

a non-starter

An idiomatic way to describe an idea that is so impractical it cannot even begin.

an ill-conceived scheme

Suggests the idea is not only impractical but also poorly thought out from the start.

a far-fetched concept

Emphasizes that the idea is difficult to believe or unlikely to happen.

a pipedream

A more informal and metaphorical way to describe an impossible hope.

a quixotic notion

Adds a literary nuance suggesting the idea is idealistic but hopelessly unrealistic.

a pie in the sky

An idiom used for an attractive but unlikely or impossible reward or idea.

a logistical nightmare

Highlights that the impracticality stems from complex organizational issues.

FAQs

How do I use "an impractical idea" in a sentence?

You can use it as a predicate nominative or an object, for example: "Building a city on the moon remains "an impractical idea" with current technology."

Is it "a impractical idea" or "an impractical idea"?

The correct form is "an impractical idea" because the word following the article starts with a vowel sound.

What is a more formal synonym for "an impractical idea"?

You might consider using "an infeasible proposition" or "an unviable concept" in strictly formal or scientific documents.

Can I say "an unpractical idea" instead?

While "unpractical" is occasionally used, "impractical" is the standard and far more common adjective in modern English for describing things that are not sensible or functional.