rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌra-shə-ˈnal 
1
: an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena
2
: an underlying reason : basis
Did you know?
Rationale comes from Latin ratio, meaning "reason," and rationalis, "endowed with reason." Ratio is reasonably familiar as an English word for the relationship (in number, quantity, or degree) between things.
Examples of rationale in a Sentence
the rationale for starting the school day an hour later is that kids will supposedly get an extra hour of sleep
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the 9/11 attacks and the resulting congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), presidents have liberally directed military strikes on the rationale that the targets were connected to 9/11 and its aftermath.
—
The Editors, National Review, 22 June 2025
The rationale was that this care isn't technically medical.
—Kat McGowan, NPR, 20 June 2025
For further insights, see our analysis on ArcelorMittal Valuation: Is MT Stock Expensive Or Cheap?, which details our valuation rationale for ArcelorMittal.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
As a rationale for retaining sovereignty over Greenland, Danish politicians used a familiarly colonialist argument: the small and vulnerable Greenlandic population depended on Denmark’s protection against foreign intervention.
—Morten Høi Jensen, The Dial, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
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The Editors, National Review, 22 June 2025
The rationale was that this care isn't technically medical.
—Kat McGowan, NPR, 20 June 2025
For further insights, see our analysis on ArcelorMittal Valuation: Is MT Stock Expensive Or Cheap?, which details our valuation rationale for ArcelorMittal.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
As a rationale for retaining sovereignty over Greenland, Danish politicians used a familiarly colonialist argument: the small and vulnerable Greenlandic population depended on Denmark’s protection against foreign intervention.
—Morten Høi Jensen, The Dial, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
Cite this Entry
“Rationale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rationale. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌrash-ə-ˈnal
: a basic reason or explanation for something
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