rationales

plural of rationale
as in explanations
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rationales Americans heard much more forthright rationales from generals involved in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 State legislators have various rationales for getting involved in national security policy. Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026 That, together with preemptive blocking and generalized rationales, suggests that the volunteer community is increasingly prioritizing prevention, efficiency and content quality over efforts to rehabilitate new users. Ryan McGrady, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 Cicero has been my nemesis in this book, for unconscionably grasping for elder power and offering up rationales for doing so repeated over the centuries. Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 Transparency mechanisms such as feature attribution logging and traceable alert rationales are becoming standard components in pharmacy AI platforms. Ethan Stone june 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026 The lawsuit also includes a lot of lengthy rationales that this is cultural appropriation of an Indigenous person that has nothing to do with the legality of Right of Publicity. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 May 2026 Freed from all the entanglements that come with having to launch a ground invasion, air war can overfly not just morality and law but arguments, rationales, the calibration of risks to rewards and of suffering to satisfaction. Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 Instead, the White House offered frequently shifting rationales for its war and little outreach to the Iranian resistance. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationales
Noun
  • What happened, Wells' parents say, is a mystery riddled with conflicting stories, implausible explanations and missing details.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • Based on that information, the AI builds a draft portfolio that users can review, adjust and approve, while providing explanations behind its recommendations.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • Scientists not involved in the study praised it but also offered some reasons to be cautious.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
  • That was one of the reasons De Jong didn’t want to confine the film to the Mediterranean.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • In 2020, as critics of standardized tests made similar equity arguments, the UC system decided to remove the use of SAT and ACT test scores in admissions.
    Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • So a judge will analyze the arguments in the lawsuit and weigh whether to grant the TRO.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

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“Rationales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationales. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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