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Definition of reason
1a : a statement offered in explanation or justification gave reasons that were quite satisfactoryb : a rational ground or motive a good reason to act soonc : a sufficient ground of explanation or of logical defense; especially : something (such as a principle or law) that supports a conclusion or explains a fact the reasons behind her client's actiond : the thing that makes some fact intelligible : cause the reason for earthquakes the real reason why he wanted me to stay — Graham Greene
2a (1) : the power of comprehending, inferring, or thinking especially in orderly rational ways : intelligence (2) : proper exercise of the mind (3) : sanityb : the sum of the intellectual powers
3 archaic : treatment that affords satisfaction
in reason
within reason
: within reasonable limits
with reason
: with good cause
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Examples of reason in a Sentence
I gave a reason for my absence.
Is there a reason for your strange behavior?
There is a reason why they don't want to come.
I can't give you the report for the simple reason that it isn't yet finished.
She explained her reasons for deciding to change jobs.
He wanted to know the reason for their decision.
Give me one good reason why I should believe you.
For obvious reasons, we can't do that yet.
For reasons of space, some of the charts and graphs have been omitted from the article.
She resigned for personal reasons.
Recent Examples of reason from the Web
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June Gloom is over, summer is officially here – and the days are only getting shorter – which is reason enough to knock off work early and head to happy hour.
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That suggests a broader reason for the activists’ legal efforts.
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Gennette also noted that 70 percent of all millennials shop off-price, which is another reason for Backstage.
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Given Democratic intransigence, the deep divisions among congressional Republicans, and the indifference of President Trump, there is little reason to be optimistic about the prospects for Medicaid reform.
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One can imagine a whole host of reasons for Trump’s procrastination.
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For any number of reasons, from sheer ignorance all the way to deliberate sabotage, the administration has decided to give the federal government a pre-frontal lobotomy.
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One reason: About 40% of them are older than their average design life of about 50 years.
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However, this is a one-time thing so shouldn't be a reason not to buy.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reason'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of reason
Middle English resoun, from Anglo-French raisun, from Latin ration-, ratio reason, computation, from reri to calculate, think; probably akin to Goth rathjo account, explanation
reason
Definition of reason
reasoned
;reasoning
play \ˈrēz-niŋ, ˈrē-zən-iŋ\intransitive verb
1a obsolete : to take part in conversation, discussion, or argumentb : to talk with another so as to influence actions or opinions can't reason with them
2 : to use the faculty of reason so as to arrive at conclusions
transitive verb
1 archaic : to justify or support with reasons
2 : to persuade or influence by the use of reason
3 : to discover, formulate, or conclude by the use of reason a carefully reasoned analysis
Examples of reason in a Sentence
He lost the ability to reason.
He reasoned that both statements couldn't be true.
She reasoned that something must be wrong.
Recent Examples of reason from the Web
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That 90-day period was about to expire, with some challengers of the ban using the lapsing timetable to reason that the executive order was now moot.
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Homeowners who don’t have to sell and want to stay in the area may reason that waiting until spring and summer, when more listings hit the market, could improve their odds of finding a replacement home.
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For Cox and other beekeepers, the long, reasoned march of science looks more like a slow hair-pull, in which a difficult scientific problem is rendered almost impossible to resolve by the toxic influences of politics and money.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reason'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of reason
15th century
Synonym Discussion of reason
REASON Defined for English Language Learners
reason
playDefinition of reason for English Language Learners
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: a statement or fact that explains why something is the way it is, why someone does, thinks, or says something, or why someone behaves a certain way
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: a fact, condition, or situation that makes it proper or appropriate to do something, feel something, etc.
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: the power of the mind to think and understand in a logical way
reason
Definition of reason for English Language Learners
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: to think in a logical way
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: to form (a conclusion or judgment) by thinking logically
REASON Defined for Kids
Definition of reason for Students
1 : a statement given to explain a belief or an act My parents gave a reason for my absence.
2 : a fact that makes something right or fair to do I have reasons for what I did.
3 : 1cause 1 The child wanted to know the reason for rain.
4 : the power to think and understand in a logical way
5 : a fair and sensible way of thinking about something He won't listen to reason.
Definition of reason for Students
reasoned
;reasoning
1 : to think in a logical way
2 : to talk with another in a sensible way so as to influence his or her actions or opinions “It's a fear you can't be … reasoned out of.” — Kate DiCamillo, Because of Winn-Dixie
3 : to state or ask logically How, I reasoned, could such a thing happen?
Law Dictionary
reason
Legal Definition of reason
1 : an underlying ground, justification, purpose, motive, or inducement required to provide reasons for the termination in writing
2a : the faculty of comprehending, inferring, or distinguishing especially in a fair and orderly way b : the proper and sane exercise of the mind
Learn More about reason
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See words that rhyme with reason Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reason Spanish Central: Translation of reason Nglish: Translation of reason for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of reason for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reason
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