pragmatist

English [edit]

From Ancient Greek πρᾶγμα (pragma, “thing”).

pragmatist (plural pragmatists)

One who acts in a practical or straightforward manner; one who is pragmatic; one who values practicality or pragmatism.

A pragmatist would never plant such a messy tree, but I like its flowers.
One who acts in response to particular situations rather than upon abstract ideals; one who is willing to ignore their ideals to accomplish goals.

I'm not a thief, I am a pragmatist. I need this bread to feed my family.

We cannot trust him not to lie for his own gain, he's an opportunist and a pragmatist.
One who belongs to the philosophic school of pragmatism; one who holds that the meaning of beliefs are the actions they entail, and that the truth of those beliefs consist in the actions they entail successfully leading a believer to their goals.
- 2007, John Lachs and Robert Talisse, American Philosophy: An Encyclopedia, p. 310.
  
  [S]ome pragmatists (such as William James) took a more pantheist or pandeist approach by rejecting views of God as separate from the world.

One who acts in a practical or straightforward manner

pragmatist n