pragmatic
gb/pɹæɡmˈætɪk/ us/pɹæɡmˈætɪk/
B2
English
~ 8200
gyakorlatias, pragmatikus, pragmatikai, pragmatista
B2
1
gyakorlatias
B1
pragmatikus
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is pragmatic about [something]
She took a pragmatic approach to the budget and cut non-essential projects first.
Gyakorlatiasan állt hozzá a költségvetéshez, és először a nem létfontosságú projektek kiadásait vágta meg.
We need a pragmatic plan that can be carried out with the resources we actually have.
Olyan gyakorlatias tervre van szükségünk, amelyet a ténylegesen rendelkezésünkre álló erőforrásokkal is meg tudunk valósítani.
His speech was less about big dreams and more about pragmatic steps the city could take this year.
Voters often prefer leaders who are pragmatic rather than purely ideological.
Learner examples
My manager is very pragmatic about deadlines.
A vezetőm nagyon gyakorlatiasan kezeli a határidőket.
They chose a cheap and simple car for pragmatic reasons.
Gyakorlatias okokból egy olcsó és egyszerű autót választottak.
We must be pragmatic and use the tools we already have.
She is pragmatic and does not waste time on ideas that will not work.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pragmatic' with 'practical' and use them in all the same places. 'Pragmatic' often describes a way of thinking or deciding (a pragmatic person, a pragmatic decision), especially when there is some kind of compromise. It is not usually used for physical things like 'practical shoes' or 'practical clothes', where 'practical' is the natural choice.
Meaning
practical and realistic, not idealistic
Collocations
pragmatic approach
|pragmatic solution
|pragmatic decision
|pragmatic view
|pragmatic compromise
|pragmatic response
Synonyms
practical (Very close in meaning, but more common and slightly less formal; does not always carry the idea of compromise that 'pragmatic' can suggest.)
Antonyms
idealistic (Focuses on how things should be according to ideals or values, rather than on what will actually work in practice.)
Themes
thinking
|work
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Thinking about what will work in real life and doing that, instead of following ideas or rules that may not work.
Dealing with problems or situations in a realistic, practical way, focusing on what will work rather than on theories, rules, or ideals.
C1
TECHNICAL
2
pragmatikai
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] studies the pragmatic aspects of [language/use]
The study examines the pragmatic functions of questions in classroom talk.
A tanulmány az osztálytermi beszélgetésekben előforduló kérdések pragmatikai funkcióit vizsgálja.
From a pragmatic perspective, the same sentence can express different intentions depending on who says it and when.
Pragmatikai szempontból ugyanaz a mondat különböző szándékokat fejezhet ki attól függően, hogy ki mondja és mikor.
Her dissertation explores the pragmatic markers that signal politeness in online messages.
Learner examples
In this class we learn about pragmatic meaning in real conversations.
Ezen az órán a valódi beszélgetésekben megjelenő pragmatikai jelentésről tanulunk.
The teacher gave examples of pragmatic differences between formal and informal speech.
A tanár példákat hozott a formális és az informális beszéd közötti pragmatikai különbségekre.
Pragmatic rules help explain why the same words can sound rude or polite in different situations.
Common mistake:
Learners may mix up 'pragmatic' (about language in context) with 'practical' when talking about language learning. Phrases like 'a pragmatic exercise' in a language textbook are unusual; it is more natural to say 'a practical exercise'. Use this technical sense mainly when discussing linguistics or language theory.
Meaning
relating to pragmatics in linguistics
Collocations
pragmatic meaning
|pragmatic analysis
|pragmatic factors
|pragmatic level
|pragmatic context
Synonyms
contextual (Can also describe things influenced by context, but is broader and not limited to language or linguistics.)
Antonyms
semantic (In linguistics, 'semantic' focuses on meaning in the abstract, while 'pragmatic' focuses on meaning as affected by context and use.)
Themes
linguistics
|education
|science
|communication
Definition
About how people use language in real situations, and how context changes what words mean.
Relating to pragmatics, the branch of linguistics that studies how context and situation affect the meaning and use of language.
C2
TECHNICAL
3
pragmatista
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] defends a pragmatic theory of [something]
James is often cited as a key figure in the development of pragmatic thought.
Jamest gyakran a pragmatista gondolkodás fejlődésének egyik kulcsalakjaként említik.
The article compares pragmatic and realist accounts of scientific truth.
A cikk a tudományos igazság pragmatista és realista értelmezéseit hasonlítja össze.
Her work offers a pragmatic reading of democracy inspired by American pragmatism.
Learner examples
He wrote his thesis on pragmatic theories of truth.
A dolgozatát a pragmatista igazságelméletekről írta.
The professor explained the main ideas of the pragmatic school in American philosophy.
A professzor elmagyarázta az amerikai filozófia pragmatista iskolájának főbb gondolatait.
Some modern writers use a pragmatic view of religion and focus on its effects in daily life.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes assume this philosophical sense is the same as the everyday sense 'practical'. In philosophy texts, 'pragmatic' usually refers specifically to the tradition of pragmatism, not just to practical behavior in general.
Meaning
relating to philosophical pragmatism
Collocations
pragmatic philosophy
|pragmatic tradition
|pragmatic theory
|pragmatic method
Synonyms
pragmatist (Usually a noun for a person who follows pragmatism; used attributively in some academic writing (e.g. 'a pragmatist theory'), but this is less standard than 'pragmatic'.)
Antonyms
idealist (In philosophy, idealism often contrasts with pragmatism by stressing the primacy of ideas or mind rather than practical outcomes.)
Themes
philosophy
|history
|education
Definition
About the philosophy called pragmatism, which says that ideas are judged by how useful they are in practice.
Relating to the philosophical movement of pragmatism, which evaluates ideas and beliefs mainly by their practical consequences and usefulness.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pragmatic
IPA
GB/pɹæɡmˈætɪk/
US/pɹæɡmˈætɪk/
Syllables & stress
prag - mat - ic (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mat)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: pragmatic
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.