1
as in explanation
a statement given to explain a belief or act
she gave a good reason for her seemingly suspicious behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in motive
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
a firm belief that we are here on earth to help others is the reason for her tireless volunteer work
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in excuse
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
what reason do you have for being in such a bad mood?
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result
what's the meteorological reason for tornadoes?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sense
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems
you'll need to use all of your reason to get out of this tight spot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities
was afraid that with all the stress he was under, he'd lose all reason
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in reasoning
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems
in a time of national crisis we need to listen to the voice of reason
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to understand
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
she reasoned that since all of the cakes were on sale for the same price, she might as well pick the biggest one
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to argue
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
he tried to reason that no one in their right mind would buy his brother's old video games, but they were put on the online auction anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of reason
Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The Television Academy has stubbornly hung on to the old notion that half-hour shows are comedies while hourlong shows are dramas if for no other reason than there doesn’t seem to be a better determining factor.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 June 2025
Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The vast majority of fully orange cats are male, which led scientists to reason decades ago that the genetic code for orange color is carried on the X chromosome.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
The public backlash is part of the reason that long-term institutional investors sent a letter to Tesla’s board in late May raising concerns about the company.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The Television Academy has stubbornly hung on to the old notion that half-hour shows are comedies while hourlong shows are dramas if for no other reason than there doesn’t seem to be a better determining factor.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 June 2025
Verb
Hyland reasoned that the khipu’s last few cords probably were a signature.
—Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The vast majority of fully orange cats are male, which led scientists to reason decades ago that the genetic code for orange color is carried on the X chromosome.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
Unless Troops Deployed Other explanations for the declining employment opportunities for white men could lie in troubles in some industries that employ more white men than white women, for example.—
Christian Weller,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Perhaps the best explanation for some of the problems with the rerecordings is that Swift was rushing through them.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Allows Employees To Shift Focus From Failures Gamification in the workplace can shift focus away from dwelling on failures and questioning others' motives.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
Subramanian didn't seem to agree with Combs' attorneys on its relevance, saying that another person's lawsuit would not constitute an improper motive for testifying.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
While the parade honors the Army, some Democrats have accused Trump of using the anniversary as an excuse to mark his birthday, comparing the event to the military parades of autocratic regimes such as Russia and North Korea.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
-
Summary Stop making excuses and embrace courage for business growth.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2025
-
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
There’s no sense of me and you, us and them, mine and yours.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
8 June 2025
-
The recent wave of popularity sparked by the game’s youngest stars — including Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who missed her fourth straight game with a left quadriceps strain — have brought a new sense of appreciation from players both veteran and new.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Adaptation keeps you top of mind when budgets tighten.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
My pen, my mind and my feelings are in every verse and in every hook.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Massive context windows — In addition to reasoning models, the amount of context that can be included in a prompt is now quite large.—
Jason Andersen,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
If no case is filed, state prosecutors must release a report detailing the evidence and the legal reasoning for why charges were not warranted.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
These locations offered some refuge from legal risk at a time when the world had yet to understand or accept digital assets.—
Irina Heaver,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
But Greene, a serial entrepreneur, says there’s been a missing piece — advanced search that can understand queries that go well beyond the basics of a title or actor.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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