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
Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
But rose water nails are currently enjoying a revival and flooding our FYPs for a couple of very good reasons.
—Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 13 July 2025
Samantha Thompson, Space.com, 7 July 2025
If a company has the ability to drive growing earnings over the long term, investors will eventually recognize the success and bid up the stock price, Buffett reasoned in his 1987 letter to Berkshire shareholders.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
Saturday, two plays didn’t work out for them for the slimmest of reasons.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
But rose water nails are currently enjoying a revival and flooding our FYPs for a couple of very good reasons.
—Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 13 July 2025
Verb
Astronomers and mathematicians reasoned that if Newton’s laws are true, there must be some missing matter – another massive object – out there tugging on Uranus.
—Samantha Thompson, Space.com, 7 July 2025
If a company has the ability to drive growing earnings over the long term, investors will eventually recognize the success and bid up the stock price, Buffett reasoned in his 1987 letter to Berkshire shareholders.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
But this conventional view overlooks a more important explanation.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
-
Thankfully, there was an entirely logical explanation, which Christain was only too happy to provide.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Elizabeth Warren questioned the motives behind CBS’ decision.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
18 July 2025
-
So too does the motive of one person radiate outward, rippling in a space of sociopolitical relevance.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
The Turkish leader has also used the 2016 coup attempt against him as an excuse to pull apart the rule of law and any vestiges of institutional governance in Turkey.—
Jesse Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
-
But that's absolutely no excuse, because intent doesn't excuse ignorance.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 July 2025
-
The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Such easy overlap between juror and filmmaker speaks to a wider festival goal toward building a real sense of community within the genre world.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
14 July 2025
-
Other migrant families have found the same sense of stability in the city of nearly 2 million inhabitants.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Keep in mind that buckwheat can cause allergic reactions in certain people (especially in Asian countries), particularly if eaten frequently or in large amounts.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
15 July 2025
-
Moreover, Kremlin insiders suspect that the 50-day window before any new US sanctions hit is plenty of time for their military push in Ukraine to pay off – or, failing that, for a notoriously changeable President Trump to change his mind on Russia once again.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
That includes the parts of the brain involved in impulse control and higher-order cognition, such as learning and reasoning and decision-making.—
The Marshall Project,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
-
Your governance framework should mandate that agents can articulate their reasoning, provide confidence scores and maintain audit trails.—
Chris Willis,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
But then appeared on the road a living creature whose intent my driver could not understand: a cow.—
Shekar Natarajan,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
With millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok and Substack, the platform is positioned towards helping young people better understand the news, with regular free newsletters and podcasts.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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