reasonable

adjective

rea·​son·​able ˈrēz-nə-bəl How to pronounce reasonable (audio)
ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-bəl
1
a
: being in accordance with reason
a reasonable theory
b
: not extreme or excessive
reasonable requests
c
: moderate, fair
a reasonable chance
a reasonable price
2
a
: having the faculty of reason
b
: possessing sound judgment
a reasonable man
reasonability
ˌrēz-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce reasonable (audio)
ˌrē-zᵊn-ə-
noun
reasonableness
ˈrēz-nə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce reasonable (audio)
ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-
noun
reasonably
ˈrēz-nə-blē How to pronounce reasonable (audio)
ˈrē-zᵊn-ə-
adverb

Examples of reasonable in a Sentence

We have reasonable cause not to believe him. She offered a reasonable compromise. It's not reasonable to expect perfect weather. Please be more reasonable. There is no way I'll be able to finish all this work in so little time. A reasonable man would not expect such a thing. Our boss has reasonable expectations of his employees. The team has a reasonable chance of winning. He makes a reasonable amount of money. The store's prices are reasonable. The hotel offers excellent accommodations at reasonable rates.
Recent Examples on the Web While the price of the Pima Cotton Tee is pretty reasonable, there are plenty of alternatives that cost half as much, if not less. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2024 All of this seems intuitively reasonable and sensible. Joshua Stein, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 In such situations, the doctrine of Chevron deference instructed federal judges to rely on the interpretations made by federal agencies, as long as those interpretations were reasonable, since agencies typically have greater expertise in their subject areas than judges. Eli Sanders, ProPublica, 23 Sep. 2024 Grab yourself a fresh set while the price is so reasonable. Savannah Smith, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for reasonable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reasonable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of reasonable was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near reasonable

Cite this Entry

“Reasonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reasonable. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

reasonable

adjective
rea·​son·​able ˈrēz-nə-bəl How to pronounce reasonable (audio)
-ᵊn-ə-bəl
1
a
: not beyond what is usual or expected : moderate
a reasonable request
a reasonable chance of success
b
: not expensive
reasonable prices
2
: able to reason : rational
a reasonable person
reasonability noun
reasonableness noun
reasonably adverb

Legal Definition

reasonable

adjective
rea·​son·​able
1
a
: being in accordance with reason, fairness, duty, or prudence
b
: of an appropriate degree or kind
c
: supported or justified by fact or circumstance
a reasonable belief that force was necessary for self-defense
2
: applying reason or logic
broadly : rational sense 1
a reasonable mind
reasonableness noun
reasonably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on reasonable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!