as in to explain
to give the reason for or cause of
rationalized his decision to buy the new car by noting that it was more fuel efficient than his old vehicle
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 rationalize
Investment was strategy – a key obligation to deliver on the business plan that would rationalize our valuation.
—
Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Instead of obsessively over-rationalizing or avoiding, try making friends with that feeling.
—Goth Shakira
contributing, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Of those seven losses, setbacks against Dallas and Chicago (while both were still trying to win) and Milwaukee could at least be rationalized.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Reenvisioning platforms is about rationalizing the toolset to optimize investments and realize measurable business value.
—Ashwin Gaidhani, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rationalize
Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Instead of obsessively over-rationalizing or avoiding, try making friends with that feeling.
—Goth Shakira
contributing, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Of those seven losses, setbacks against Dallas and Chicago (while both were still trying to win) and Milwaukee could at least be rationalized.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Reenvisioning platforms is about rationalizing the toolset to optimize investments and realize measurable business value.
—Ashwin Gaidhani, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rationalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalize
Verb
-
Vrabel, meanwhile, stumbled though multiple press conferences while trying to both avoid and explain the issue without ever really providing details.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
This may explain why credit markets barely budged after last week’s spending figures.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
In recent years, even some advocates of free trade have come around to the idea that certain tariffs can be justified on strategic and national-security grounds, especially when working with an avowedly mercantilist country like China.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Those benefits justified a rule holding employers responsible when hybrid workers cause others injury while moving between their home and office.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rationalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationalize. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
