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

Relevance

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 Well, the English language market is certainly growing, and that was also one of the rationales of the merger deal between All3Media and Banijay. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 The claims paying organizations that are best prepared to navigate this evolving environment will be those that combine uniform eligibility review, defensible payment rationales, dispute tracking and outcome analysis into a single cohesive process. — Christine Cooper, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 His attorneys claim that, when searching for Murkerson’s vehicle, sheriff’s deputies entered nonsense rationales. — Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 While there are plenty of rationales, CBS News will have to be patient and hope that viewers will sample the program, which largely had the same look as last year despite Weiss’ changes. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Commentators from across the political spectrum have observed that, while opponents might cite water or electricity usage as their reasons, there are deeper rationales for the reaction against data centers. — Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 For Mary Kay, the latter of these rationales seems to have been clothed in the guise of the former, though the precise catalyst for establishing her own outfit remains indeterminate. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 15 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationales
Noun
  • Strategies become filled with acronyms, presentations become overloaded with detail, explanations assume knowledge that many people simply do not have.
    — Julien Fortuit, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • To grant another person his full humanity is therefore not merely to defend his rights or understand the forces acting upon him, but to accept that there will always be something about him that exceeds our explanations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Individual Americans often join marches against police conduct or Israel for a variety of reasons and remain peaceful.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The election created an opportunity to give them reasons to stay, build and discover.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The Senate dismissed all impeachment charges, shutting down his trial before arguments even began.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Deputy Prosecutor Amy Pullen told jurors in opening arguments Tuesday that the shooting was born from road rage.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rationales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationales. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster