as in explained
to give the reason for or cause of
rationalized his decision to buy the new car by noting that it was more fuel efficient than his old vehicle
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Recent Examples of rationalized
Of those seven losses, setbacks against Dallas and Chicago (while both were still trying to win) and Milwaukee could at least be rationalized.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Each lie is rationalized as politics.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Society has rationalized the human into triviality, and we’re stuck in a bad game.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
There needs to be a takeout of some capacity and for that to be more rationalized—or demand go up significantly.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
The American casualties were tragic, my peers rationalized, but the real problem was American foreign policy.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Even among some voters who were sincerely uncomfortable with Mamdani’s past rhetoric, many rationalized that an authentic Democrat with a pulse was still better than someone who might be manipulated from afar.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
In two key ways, aggression against Venezuela or any other Latin American country now – rationalized by Washington as a response to insufficient law enforcement against drug-running – would be dangerously unprecedented.
—Alan McPherson, The Conversation, 2 Nov. 2025
This propensity for mental acrobatics, alongside his immense arrogance, was how Epstein rationalized his crimes to himself.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Each lie is rationalized as politics.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Society has rationalized the human into triviality, and we’re stuck in a bad game.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
There needs to be a takeout of some capacity and for that to be more rationalized—or demand go up significantly.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
The American casualties were tragic, my peers rationalized, but the real problem was American foreign policy.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Even among some voters who were sincerely uncomfortable with Mamdani’s past rhetoric, many rationalized that an authentic Democrat with a pulse was still better than someone who might be manipulated from afar.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
In two key ways, aggression against Venezuela or any other Latin American country now – rationalized by Washington as a response to insufficient law enforcement against drug-running – would be dangerously unprecedented.
—Alan McPherson, The Conversation, 2 Nov. 2025
This propensity for mental acrobatics, alongside his immense arrogance, was how Epstein rationalized his crimes to himself.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalized
Verb
-
Many joked that the clip explained years of mysterious toy discoveries beneath their own furniture.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Hollis, Queens, resident Patricia Khan first met McLogan in 2024 and explained her predicament at the time.—
Elle McLogan,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This view of the presidency has justified his executive orders at home and tariffs that affect the global economy.—
Steven Sloan,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The opioid crisis alone justified a generation of skepticism.—
Vikas Patel,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rationalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationalized. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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