Pragmatic / Adj./ prag-ma-tuhk

Pragmatic describes coping and reacting in a sensible and realistic way. Pragmatic people are more likely to base their reactions on reason rather than on theoretical or hypothetical situations that may not actually happen.

In a Sentence

I try to have a pragmatic outlook on life, but people mistake my realism for being pessimistic; in reality, I just so happen to always run into worst-case scenarios, so that's what I prepare for.

I love the way he thinks about things in a more pragmatic light, but sometimes I wish he was more of an optimist; it's hard to see the positives when you're always thinking about the negative.

If you're a pragmatic thinker in today's society, it's easy to see that we live in a dystopia, but due to the incessant need to stay positive, some people will never see it and, therefore, will likely never contribute to change.

Etymology

The word pragmatic originates from the late 16th century, usually associated with being busy, interfering, or conceited. The Greek word pragmatikos has Latin origins and means "relating to fact," and stems from the word pragma to mean "deed." Pragma came from the Greek word prattein, which means do.

Synonyms

Realistic, Sensible

Antonyms

Optimistic, pessimistic