whenever practicable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "whenever practicable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something should be done at the earliest convenience, but only if it is reasonable to do so. Example sentence: We will try our best to complete the project on time, but whenever practicable we should take a break to ensure we don't burn ourselves out.

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Whenever practicable, by an impartial judge advocate certified under section 827(b) of this title (article 27(b)).

Cornell University

we do not retreat from our holdings that the police must, whenever practicable, obtain advance judicial approval of searches and seizures through the warrant procedure.

Cornell University

A rule of thumb requiring that a search warrant always be procured whenever practicable may be appealing from the vantage point of easy administration.

Cornell University

A senior British military officer, with extensive experience of operations in Afghanistan, concurred: "We would all like the Afghans to take over whenever practicable and progress is being made.

Independent

Whenever practicable, the hearing officer shall be equal in grade or senior in grade to military counsel who are detailed to represent the accused or the Government at the preliminary hearing.

Cornell University

For instance, the regulation must not exceed the delegated powers; its provisions must conform with the aims of the parent statute; prior consultation with interests likely to be affected should take place whenever practicable; and the regulations must not contravene relevant constitutional rules and legal standards.

Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

We place significant emphasis on preservation of residual limb length and functional joint levels whenever reasonably practicable.

Bone and Joint Research

Instead of keeping hazards under control by adding on protective equipment we should use inherently safer designs whenever they are 'reasonably practicable'.

Process Safety and Environmental Protection

Use of Renewable Feedstocks: A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Practice whenever you can.

WikiHow

This is simply not practicable.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "whenever practicable" with a clear statement of intent to show commitment, even if the action might not always be possible.

Common error

Avoid using "whenever practicable" as a loophole to avoid commitment. Ensure there's a genuine intent to act and that the reasons for potential inaction are legitimate and well-defined.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whenever practicable" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the conditions under which an action should be performed. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "whenever practicable" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase that adds a layer of qualification to an action, suggesting it should be done if feasible and reasonable. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While alternatives like "when reasonably feasible" or "wherever possible" exist, "whenever practicable" specifically highlights the balance between possibility and practicality. This phrase finds common use in academia, news media, and scientific contexts, and its register is generally formal to neutral.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

when reasonably feasible

Replaces "practicable" with "feasible", and adds "reasonably" to soften the requirement.

when circumstances allow

Focuses on the enabling conditions for an action.

as soon as possible

Indicates immediacy but might not imply consideration of feasibility.

wherever possible

Emphasizes possibility, but might not cover practicality.

if the situation permits

Highlights the situational dependency of the action.

when conditions are favorable

Focuses on positive conditions being necessary.

as and when appropriate

Suggests that action should be taken only when it is both timely and suitable.

subject to feasibility

Explicitly makes the action dependent on being feasible.

depending on the situation

Emphasizes situational variance in deciding whether to act.

at one's earliest convenience

Highlights convenience, potentially at the expense of immediacy or necessity.

FAQs

How do I use "whenever practicable" in a sentence?

Use "whenever practicable" to indicate that something should be done if it is feasible and reasonable. For example: "We aim to reduce waste, reusing materials "wherever possible" and recycling "whenever practicable"."

What can I say instead of "whenever practicable"?

Alternatives include "when reasonably feasible", "wherever possible", or "as soon as possible", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "whenever possible" or "whenever practicable"?

"Whenever possible" focuses on possibility, while "whenever practicable" emphasizes feasibility and reasonableness. Use "whenever practicable" when you want to highlight that an action should not only be possible, but also sensible and realistic in the given circumstances.

What's the difference between "whenever feasible" and "whenever practicable"?

While similar, "feasible" primarily refers to whether something is capable of being done, whereas "practicable" adds the dimension of whether it is sensible or advantageous to do it. "Whenever practicable" implies a more thorough evaluation of the pros and cons.