as in explains
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
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Recent Examples of rationalizes
One pattern rationalizes exploitation and disguises harm as the price of progress.
—
Valerie L. Myers, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Valerie L. Myers, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalizes
Verb
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Harvard Professor Carla Martin explains how cacao transformed from a sacred drink into a Valentine’s Day staple — and how history, marketing and chemistry helped give chocolate its emotional power.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Athletes are tested for substances as part of the Monitoring Program during regular doping checks in order to gather data on usage, Fitzgerald explains.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Maryland has lost approximately 130,000 residents since Moore took office, yet the budget justifies hundreds of millions in housing and community revitalization spending based on population growth assumptions that do not match reality.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
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Today’s chip valuations have also already priced in years of double-digit growth, so any friction in the buildout justifies short-term selloffs.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rationalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationalizes. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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