rationalize

verb

ra·​tio·​nal·​ize ˈrash-nə-ˌlīz 

ˈra-shə-nə-ˌlīz

rationalized; rationalizing; rationalizes

transitive verb

1

: to bring into accord with reason or cause something to seem reasonable: such as

a

: to substitute a natural for a supernatural explanation of

rationalize a myth

b

: to attribute (one's actions) to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true and especially unconscious motives

rationalized his dislike of his brother

broadly : to create an excuse or more attractive explanation for

rationalize the problem

2

: to free (a mathematical expression) from irrational parts

rationalize a denominator

3

: to apply research-based managerial principles to (something, such as an industry or its operations) for increased productivity and efficiency

intransitive verb

: to provide plausible but untrue reasons for conduct

rationalizable

ˌrash-nə-ˈlī-zə-bəl, 

ˌra-shə-nə-ˈlī- 

adjective

rationalizer

ˈrash-nə-ˌlī-zər, 

ˈra-shə-nə-ˌlī- 

noun

plural rationalizers

Synonyms of rationalize

• explain
• justify

Examples of rationalize in a Sentence

She tried to rationalize her grandson's strange behavior by blaming it on the boy's father.

He couldn't rationalize buying such an expensive car.

She knows she shouldn't have done it—she's just trying to rationalize.

Management is thinking of ways to rationalize our system of production.

Recent Examples on the Web

Making the Super Bowl raised them for this season, and a loss like Sunday’s to the Packers is hard to rationalize. — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 10 Nov. 2026

Beyond the boilerplate, Joyner struggled to rationalize the breakup. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

But acting on behalf of Iran, a non-Arab Persian country composed almost entirely of Twelver Shia Muslims, was considerably more difficult to rationalize in Arab Yemen where Twelver Shia Muslims are absent and Sunnis are the majority. — Laurent Bonnefoy, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Ahmed doesn’t merely document the decisions that led President Biden and his aides to arm and rationalize what leading human rights organizations and legal scholars now consider a genocide. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for rationalize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

rationalize

verb

ra·​tio·​nal·​ize ˈrash-nə-ˌlīz 

-ən-ᵊl-ˌīz

rationalized; rationalizing

1

: to bring into agreement with reason or cause something to seem believable

2

: to remove irrational expressions from

rationalize a denominator

rationalization

ˌrash-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

-ən-ᵊl-ə-

noun

Medical Definition

rationalize

verb

ra·​tio·​nal·​ize

variants also British rationalise

ˈrash-nə-ˌlīz, -ən-ᵊl-ˌīz 

rationalized also British rationalised; rationalizing also British rationalising

transitive verb

: to bring into accord with reason or cause something to seem reasonable

especially : to attribute (one's actions) to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true and especially unconscious motives

he tried to rationalize his cruel behavior

intransitive verb

: to provide plausible but untrue reasons for conduct

rationalizer noun

also British rationaliser

-ər