1
as in intelligent
having the ability to reason
human beings are rational creatures
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in logical
according to the rules of logic
insisted there was a rational explanation for the strange creaking noises and that there were no such things as ghosts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reasonable
based on sound reasoning or information
betting all of your savings on the lottery is not a rational move
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rational
The production is somewhat hampered by Anthony Tran’s cumbersome costumes and Chin’s grimly rational scenic design.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The war in Ukraine is central to Putin’s legitimacy, leaving him no rational incentive to end it voluntarily.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
But business with China won’t be rational again until the trade war ends.
—Crista V. Worthy, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
But the reversals don’t appear to be rational, let alone part of any plan.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rational
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The war in Ukraine is central to Putin’s legitimacy, leaving him no rational incentive to end it voluntarily.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
But business with China won’t be rational again until the trade war ends.
—Crista V. Worthy, Denver Post, 13 May 2025
But the reversals don’t appear to be rational, let alone part of any plan.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rational
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rational
Adjective
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In 1950 the Italian physicist Enrico Fermi was discussing the possibility of intelligent alien life with his colleagues.—
Philip Ball,
Wired News,
8 June 2025
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Second, a human must be kept in the loop of intelligent machine decision-making processes.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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But there’s little logical argument for keeping him on.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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This is a logical form of thinking in the sense that AGI as an intellectual mechanism would be unable to compete in jobs that involve hands-on work.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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LPs expect distributions within a reasonable timeframe.—
Ilona Limonta-Volkova,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Florida's attorney general can collect civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, reasonable attorney fees, and court costs, while minors can also pursue up to $10,000 in damages.—
Chloe Albanesius,
PC Magazine,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Create a coherent narrative showing your evolution.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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During generation, Veo 3 starts with random noise and a text prompt, then iteratively refines that noise into a coherent video that matches the description.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Nibert loved the free-thinking spirit of the village and its college.—
Keith BieryGolick,
Cincinnati.com,
28 Aug. 2019
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Credit Gus Malzahn for being proactive and thinking long-term in choosing his starting quarterback.—
Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com,
al,
22 Aug. 2019
Adjective
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On cross-examination, Ferguson confirmed that there were employees in the finance department who went through the corporate credit card statements to determine which charges were valid business expenses and which were personal expenses.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
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Prior to Sunday's attack, Soliman was driving for Uber, which required him to have a valid Social Security number, CBS News has learned.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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That never was a sensible move for fiscal and other reasons.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
3 June 2025
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If only Larry Hogan had been prescient enough to choose a successor who would have continued his sensible moderate policies under eight more years of Republican rule.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rational. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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