rationalization

noun

Definition of rationalizationnext
as in rationale

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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 rationalization Although the Mughals mainly incorporated the existing Indian revenue system, Akbar’s reign also saw the rationalization of revenue administration, notably under the Hindu minister Todar Mal, with systematic land measurement and assessment that balanced imperial income with agrarian stability. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026 On the Waterfront is, of course, a legendary film, but today it is considered by many to be a rationalization for Kazan collaborating with HUAC, not just a good crime picture with Marlon Brando. — Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026 Two at-odds facts can both be true, and all of us are susceptible to arrogance and self-serving rationalization. — Carol Quillen, Time, 21 Feb. 2026 Whether that’s a reality or a rationalization will only be known once the hire materializes. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rationalization
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalization
  1. rationale
  2. pretext
  3. explanation
  4. accounting
  5. pretense
  6. guise
  7. justification
  8. argument
Noun
  • Benchmark selection rationale, red-team findings and bias audit results, including inconclusive ones, must be documented rather than summarized.
    — Akash Pugalia, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management, Michaels is unhindered by having to sell Wall Street on the rationale for an acquisition or new strategy.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 17 July 2026
Definition of rationale
Noun
  • Cook, who has remained in the post while the case plays out, called the allegations a pretext to oust her over monetary policy differences.
    — Will Dunham, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • Moscow has long portrayed UPA fighters as murderers and Nazi collaborators, and has accused Zelenskyy of being an heir to this legacy, falsely claiming that his government is overrun by Nazis as a pretext for its full-scale invasion.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 27 June 2026
Definition of pretext
Noun
  • People offered explanations for how their ancestors used the artifacts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • The pat explanation for this shift is that people are just too busy, too broke, and too brain-melted to read serious books any more.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of explanation
Noun
  • The county’s accounting staff said the abrupt change in travel plans came from the office of Anthony Rodriguez, chair of the Board of County Commissioners (BCC).
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 15 July 2026
Definition of accounting
Noun
  • Everything else is pretense; the diplomat is pretense; the Hand of the King, there’s a level of pretense; Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, there’s a level of pretense.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 20 July 2026
  • When Moore finally abandons the pretense and focuses in earnest on his presidential ambitions, the damage to Maryland will be incalculable and likely irreparable.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2026
Definition of pretense
Noun
  • Somewhere between a sandal and a ballet flat, caged silhouettes come in all manner of guises.
    — Sarah Leigh Bannerman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
  • Everything from the division of the Peaches and the Plums to Shamea’s tagline this season is a secret cry from Shamea to Porsha, begging for attention under the guise of her own emancipation.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of guise
Noun
  • Democratic leadership cited the ongoing war on Iran as the primary justification for delaying the bill’s progress.
    — Julia Gledhill, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The core issue now is control of the Strait of Hormuz, which wasn’t even part of the original justification for war.
    — Robin Wright, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of justification
Noun
  • Because the most common objection to the argument turns out to be the argument's best evidence.
    — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • An independent committee investigating the cause of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades heard arguments on how improper practices that evaded regulatory oversight turned a small fire into a tragedy as the case neared its conclusion Friday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Definition of argument

Browse Nearby Words

rationality
rationalization
rationalizations
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Cite this Entry

“Rationalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationalization. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of rationalization for Spanish Speakers

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