rationales

Definition of rationalesnext
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 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 Writers such as Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson published eloquent ecological and scientific rationales for wilderness preservation, wildlife management, and pollution control, laying the intellectual groundwork for the late 1960s and early ’70s boom in environmental legislation. John Reid, The Atlantic, 14 May 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 Investors look for reasons to take profits, even though the rationales may have nothing to do with the market action. Michael Hiltzik, Boston Herald, 3 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 Indeed, that’s one of the main rationales for banks issuing these lifestyle cards. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026 Among the chief rationales for the lower tax rate on capital gains is to counter the effect of inflation. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationales
Noun
  • Interviews with voters across Los Angeles suggested other explanations for Pratt’s possible struggles.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2026
  • Luteal-phase fatigue and food cravings have clear physiological explanations and follicular-phase cognitive advantages have emerging support.
    Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • In a recent segment on the Radio-Canada investigative news program Enquête, former Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx expounded further on the reasons for the rejection.
    Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 8 June 2026
  • Jones stayed diplomatic in her reasons for entering the 2021 season on a mission.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • During closing arguments before the jury Tuesday, Grossman’s attorney, Esther Holm, echoed that claim.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Beyond arguments for or against new revenue-generating measures, the measure drew skepticism from some arts advocates.
    Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 3 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rationales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationales. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rationales

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