as in explanation
a statement given to explain a belief or act
the rationale for starting the school day an hour later is that kids will supposedly get an extra hour of sleep
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Recent Examples of rationale
Harrison has been widely criticized for the press conference, with some criticizing his rationale for the Doncic trade and the secrecy surrounding the event.
—
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
The system developed its top hypothesis with a simple rationale, drawing a link to another research area and coming to a conclusion the human team had taken years to arrive at.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
Currie also questioned the economic rationale for seafloor mining.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Wood's rationale for the $2,600 base case target by 2029 focuses on Tesla's transformation from an automaker to a technology and software company, similar to Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
The system developed its top hypothesis with a simple rationale, drawing a link to another research area and coming to a conclusion the human team had taken years to arrive at.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2025
Currie also questioned the economic rationale for seafloor mining.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Wood's rationale for the $2,600 base case target by 2029 focuses on Tesla's transformation from an automaker to a technology and software company, similar to Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationale
Noun
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In the absence of an official explanation, theories have filled the void in a case that has spurred true crime podcasts and plenty of speculation, including the suggestion Kohberger was trying to impress an old professor by getting away with murder.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
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Betty doesn’t volunteer an explanation and Laura doesn’t ask.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Noun
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During these inspections, travelers may be questioned or their electronic devices looked through as a way to confirm their identity and reasons for being in the U.S.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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And that’s one of the reasons why with him and Edwards at the helm, the Timberwolves are only a win away from a repeat trip to the Western Conference finals.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
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During an argument in the car, Lanez allegedly directed expletives at Megan and her friend.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
13 May 2025
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There is certainly an argument that a draw would have been a fair result, a debate further enhanced by the tone of Howe’s comments afterwards.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rationale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationale. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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