What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between utilitarian and pragmatic?

utilitarian | pragmatic | Synonyms |

Pragmatic is a synonym of utilitarian.



As adjectives the difference between utilitarian and pragmatic

is that utilitarian is of or relating to utility while pragmatic is practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory.

As a noun utilitarian

is someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.

utilitarian

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • of or relating to utility
  • practical and functional, not just for show.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
  • Derived terms

    * utilitarianism * futilitarianism * utilitarianly

    pragmatic

    English

    Alternative forms

    * pragmatick (archaic) * pragmatique (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory.
  • * The sturdy furniture in the student lounge was pragmatic , but unattractive.
  • *
  • Nor indeed are these restrictions pragmatic'' in nature: i.e. the ill-formedness of the ''heed''-sentences in (60) is entirely different in kind from the oddity of sentences like:
    (61)      !That man will eat any car which thinks he?s stupid
    which is purely ''pragmatic
    (i.e. lies in the fact that (61) describes the kind of bizarre situation which just doesn?t happen in the world we are familiar with, where cars don?t think, and people don?t eat cars).
  • philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; said of literature.
  • * Sir W. Hamilton
  • Pragmatic history.
  • * M. Arnold
  • Pragmatic poetry.

    Synonyms

    * (practical) down-to-earth, functional, practical, utilitarian, realistic

    Antonyms

    * idealistic

    Derived terms

    * pragma * pragmatically * pragmaticism * pragmatics