Pragmatic sort is alert (7)
I believe the answer is:
realist
'pragmatic' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'sort is alert' is the wordplay.
'sort' indicates anagramming the letters.
'is'+'alert'='isalert'
'isalert' anagrammed gives 'REALIST'.
(Other definitions for realist that I've seen before include "Non-dreamer?" , "Pragmatist" , "One has no fancy ideas" , "Pragmatic person" , "Person who sees things without illusions" .)