rationale
noun
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If someone asserts that the word rationale refers to a ration of ale, they are wrong, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an actual rationale (a reason, explanation, or basis) for such a claim. “Rationale looks like the words ration and ale jammed together,” they could offer, and while that is true you’d be justified in responding: “Appearances can be deceiving.” Rationale is a direct borrowing of the Latin word rationale, with which it shares the meaning “an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena.” The Latin rationale comes from a form of the adjective rationalis (“rational”), which traces back to the noun ratio, meaning “reason.” While the Latin ratio is also the forebear of the English noun ration, referring to a share of something, rationale has nothing to do with a tankard (or stein, or even a pony) of beer.
Examples of rationale in a Sentence
Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Byrne explains Bornstein’s rationale behind that.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Part of the rationale for Major League Soccer adopting a summer season was the diversity of the climate in the United States.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration withdrew a proposal to require speed-limiting devices on heavy trucks, saying the rule lacked a compelling safety rationale.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2025.
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rationale
noun
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