Thesaurus results for RATIONALIZE

rationalize

verb

ˈrash-nə-ˌlīz

Definition of rationalize

as in to explain

to give the reason for or cause of rationalized his decision to buy the new car by noting that it was more fuel efficient than his old vehicle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of rationalize At a time when antisemitism is too often minimized, rationalized or repackaged in more socially acceptable language, this kind of moral clarity matters. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026 The offense was bad Saturday, and there’s no spin or rationalizing the performance. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026 Jones’s ever more abusive and erratic behavior was ignored or rationalized by people who should have looked harder. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 But repeatedly rationalizing troubling information and warning signs is different. — Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rationalize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalize

Verb

The woman who had compiled the Handy Hints book helpfully explained these technical details to Flynn, whispering in his ear like someone translating a foreign language.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Instead of explaining why something happened after the fact, the organization helps the customer stay ahead of it.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

The Italian Interior Ministry used that same threat to justify extending the border checks Tuesday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
First-act setups extend through the majority of the 108-minute runtime, constituting a plotless meander without the aesthetic allure to justify such a languid journey.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026