rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌra-shə-ˈnal 
1
: an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena
2
: an underlying reason : basis
Did you know?
Rationale comes from Latin ratio, meaning "reason," and rationalis, "endowed with reason." Ratio is reasonably familiar as an English word for the relationship (in number, quantity, or degree) between things.
Examples of rationale in a Sentence
the rationale for starting the school day an hour later is that kids will supposedly get an extra hour of sleep
Recent Examples on the Web
Its website explains the rationale behind the image.
—
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Regulators are responsible for establishing a robust rationale for rejection; if not, the application is granted automatically.
—Nick Sargen, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Other Republicans declined to criticize the boat strike on Monday, with none expressing qualms about an operation whose legal rationale has drawn skepticism from experts.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The justices provided no rationale, which is common in emergency appeals, and did not rule on the merits of the case.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
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.
Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Regulators are responsible for establishing a robust rationale for rejection; if not, the application is granted automatically.
—Nick Sargen, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Other Republicans declined to criticize the boat strike on Monday, with none expressing qualms about an operation whose legal rationale has drawn skepticism from experts.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The justices provided no rationale, which is common in emergency appeals, and did not rule on the merits of the case.
—Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
Cite this Entry
“Rationale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rationale. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌrash-ə-ˈnal
: a basic reason or explanation for something
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share