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
That position casts suspicion on a White House statement explaining the rationale for withholding disaster funds from Maryland.
—
Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2025
David Butorac, Wilton Manors The fact that our tax dollars are now being used to remove rainbow crosswalks is antithetical to the administration’s rationale that taxpayer money should only be used for road work and safety.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Yet in the end, the strategic rationale of keeping the United States off China’s border (and ideally off the entire Korean Peninsula) trumped these concerns.
—M. Taylor Fravel, Foreign Affairs, 18 July 2025
The rationale has done little to quell public frustration.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
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Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2025
David Butorac, Wilton Manors The fact that our tax dollars are now being used to remove rainbow crosswalks is antithetical to the administration’s rationale that taxpayer money should only be used for road work and safety.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Yet in the end, the strategic rationale of keeping the United States off China’s border (and ideally off the entire Korean Peninsula) trumped these concerns.
—M. Taylor Fravel, Foreign Affairs, 18 July 2025
The rationale has done little to quell public frustration.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 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 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌrash-ə-ˈnal
: a basic reason or explanation for something
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