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
Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.
—Sharareh Drury, People.com, 26 May 2025
Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 10 May 2025
In March, Baidu released two new AI models , one of which has reasoning capabilities that the company said rival DeepSeek’s R1 model.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly point to Trump's election as a reason for the recruiting rebound.
—Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.
—Sharareh Drury, People.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
There were nearly 40 years between the first two Beetlejuice movies, and while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the Big Fish director reasoned that another extended wait would probably prevent him from helming a third movie.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 10 May 2025
In March, Baidu released two new AI models , one of which has reasoning capabilities that the company said rival DeepSeek’s R1 model.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
Betty doesn’t volunteer an explanation and Laura doesn’t ask.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
-
In the absence of an official explanation, theories have filled the void in a case that has spurred true crime podcasts and plenty of speculation, including the suggestion Kohberger was trying to impress an old professor by getting away with murder.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
Defense questions Richard’s memory and motives Under cross-examination, Richard faced questions about her memory of the assaults and her personal motives.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
19 May 2025
-
Police said Sunday that no suspect has been identified and no motive is known.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Construct decision boundaries that eliminate excuses.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
Hansi Flick has told his Barcelona players that partying after their La Liga title celebrations is no excuse for letting their performances drop.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
The cause of Coulam’s death is under investigation.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
21 May 2025
-
The investigation by state and local fire investigators into the official cause of the deadly fire is continuing.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
The story is like a gentle hug, wrapping you up in a sense of comfort and contentment.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
-
In a sense, however, the entire summer movie slate is now designed with teens — especially teen boys — in mind.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Keep Curtains Away from Heat Sources The main thing to keep in mind when installing kitchen curtains is to always keep them away from heat sources.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2025
-
And never far from mind at these events is the memory of the 2016 Pulse shooting that left 49 dead and 53 wounded at an Orlando hub of LGBTQ nightlife.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
Clyde cited taxes on firearm purchases as part of his reasoning.—
Annabella Rosciglione,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2025
-
This notice must include the employer’s specific reasoning for the decision and documentation of the individualized assessment that led to it.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
The realtor also pulled permits to help determine a timeline of events to understand when some of the damage occurred.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
19 May 2025
-
To understand what’s at stake amid the NNSA’s workforce woes, USA TODAY interviewed current and former agency officials and reviewed decades of watchdog reports, safety records and other official documents.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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