impractically long

USAGE SUMMARY

"impractically long" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is excessively long to the point of being unfeasible or inconvenient. For example, "The report was impractically long, making it difficult to extract key information." Alternative expressions include "excessively long," "unduly long," and "unreasonably long."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Without the new compressed sensing technology scans would take an impractically long time.

University of California, Berkeley

My body is impractically long, and I wear size 13 clown boots.

The Guardian - Music

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson Woodfriend, free stream This New York singer-songwriter with an impractically long name returns with his trademark ragged approach.

The Guardian - Music

Many clients ask how old I am when I walk in: a pale, rosy-cheeked girl with impractically long red hair.

The Guardian

In the Gb/s regime, the code length that is required to correct the erroneous bits might be impractically long.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, all the HOAs discussed tend to be computationally intensive, yielding impractically long execution times for OPF problems involving large scale systems.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

I always imagined private detectives as shadowy figures in long dark coats and impractically large hats.

Vice

Full ML receivers, in principle, offer the best possible performance but require an impractically high complexity when the impulse response is long.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

You could ask questions about your partner's past, such as ex-girlfriends, but only as long as you're not going to get impractically jealous or paranoid about them.

WikiHow

I thought I had lost it long ago, but, no, there it was, folded underneath a dried-up carnation and some impractically heavy bracelets.

The New Yorker

Yet here their son was, impractically, climbing a mountain.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "impractically long", ensure that the impracticality directly results from the excessive length, not other factors. For instance, "The document was impractically long, hindering quick decision-making."

Common error

Avoid using "impractically long" when the impracticality stems from factors other than length. If a process is difficult due to complexity, not length, using "overly complex" or "unduly complicated" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impractically long" primarily functions as an adverb-adjective combination that modifies a noun, describing something that is excessively lengthy and, as a result, is not practical or feasible. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate this use across different domains, affirming its role in specifying a degree of impracticality arising from length.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

37%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "impractically long" is a useful adverb-adjective phrase for describing something whose excessive length makes it unfeasible or problematic. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and appears across a range of contexts, especially in scientific, news, and academic writing. When using this phrase, ensure that the impracticality genuinely stems from the length, and consider alternatives like "unfeasibly lengthy" or "excessively prolonged" for variety. Remember that its register is typically neutral to formal, making it suitable for professional and academic communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfeasibly lengthy

Replaces "impractically" with "unfeasibly" and "long" with "lengthy", emphasizing the infeasibility of the length.

excessively prolonged

Uses "excessively" to highlight the degree of length and "prolonged" as a synonym for long.

unduly extended

"Unduly" emphasizes that the length is more than necessary, while "extended" implies something stretched out.

unreasonably long

Focuses on the lack of reason or justification for the length.

prohibitively long

Highlights that the length is so great as to prevent something from being done.

inordinately lengthy

Similar to "unduly extended" but uses "inordinately" for a more formal tone.

impractical duration

Shifts the focus to "duration" and uses "impractical" as a general descriptor.

overly extensive

Uses "overly" to indicate excess and "extensive" as a synonym for long or broad.

unmanageably long

Emphasizes the difficulty in dealing with something of that length.

awkwardly long

Focuses on the inconvenience or clumsiness resulting from the length.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "impractically long" to sound more formal?

You can use more formal alternatives like "unfeasibly lengthy", "inordinately lengthy", or "unduly extended" to convey a similar meaning in a more formal context.

What are some common situations where I might describe something as "impractically long"?

This phrase is often used to describe documents, processes, waiting times, or code lengths that are so long that they become unmanageable or inefficient. Consider contexts where time or space constraints are significant.

Is there a difference between "impractically long" and "excessively long"?

While both phrases suggest something is too long, "impractically long" implies that the length directly causes a problem or makes something unfeasible. "Excessively long" simply emphasizes the degree of length without necessarily implying a specific negative consequence.

When should I use "impractically long" versus "unnecessarily long"?

"Impractically long" indicates that the length creates a practical obstacle. "Unnecessarily long" suggests the length could be reduced without losing essential content or functionality. The best choice depends on whether the length is causing a problem or is simply superfluous.