practicable

Practicable is an adjective meaning capable of being put into practice or carried out; feasible; able to be implemented in real-world conditions. It describes plans, methods, or proposals that can actually be carried out within given constraints.

Etymology traces practicable to Latin practicabilis, from practic- 'practical', via Middle English and Old French into English. Historically, the form is more common in British English; American English typically favors practical or feasible, though practicable remains used in formal, legal, or technical writing.

Usage notes: In legal or regulatory contexts, phrases such as as practicable or as far as is practicable appear; they denote action that should be taken to the extent possible, considering circumstances. In everyday writing, practicable is relatively uncommon and may sound formal or archaic to some readers.

Comparison with related terms: Practical describes usefulness and applicability in everyday life. Feasible denotes possibility under given conditions. Viable indicates sustainability or long-term operability. Practicable sits between these: it emphasizes the feasibility of implementing an option, given practical constraints.

Examples: It is practicable to complete the project within the current timeline if some tasks are parallelized. The plan will be carried out to the extent practicable under the circumstances.