Skip to main content

noun

pragmatism

a practical approach to problems and affairs

In a sentence

Six example sentences with pragmatism, each labelled with its topic.

  • Her pragmatism showed when she shipped an ugly checkout page on Friday rather than wait three weeks for the redesign.

    Startups

  • The new governor governed with plain pragmatism, taking whichever bridge repair money arrived first and skipping the ceremonial announcements.

    Politics

  • Coaching teenagers taught him pragmatism: a boring program they actually finish beats a perfect one they quit in March.

    Fitness

  • William James built a whole philosophy on pragmatism, judging an idea by the difference it makes in practice.

    Philosophy

  • The company's pragmatism showed when it dropped the elegant redesign and shipped the version customers already understood.

    Business

  • China's reforms of the 1980s were driven by pragmatism, keeping whatever policy raised harvests regardless of doctrine.

    Economics

Study pragmatism until you keep it

Learn English words in sentences about topics you pick, with a quick quiz. With an account, words come back for review.