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
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Recent Examples of reason
CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
The Gem State got a high score for several reasons, the report said.
—Angela Palermo
february 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the conviction, reasoning that while Abernethy broke NCAA rules, his conduct didn’t constitute a crime.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
Los Angeles was without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons.
—CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
The Gem State got a high score for several reasons, the report said.
—Angela Palermo
february 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
One can reason through the sort of self-reinforcing feedback loop this establishes.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals threw out the conviction, reasoning that while Abernethy broke NCAA rules, his conduct didn’t constitute a crime.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
But Payton can no longer live in the past as an explanation for his role in the future.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
There's just no other explanation.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While law enforcement has not identified a suspect or motive, Nanos said there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
-
While authorities continue gathering evidence and chasing down leads, the motive behind the disappearance was unclear.—
Helen Rummel,
AZCentral.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In short, there’s no excuse for a lack of wellness support.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Making up excuses for things not to go perfectly would have been easy with the team dealing with illnesses.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The exact cause of death was not clear and few other details were provided.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Officials won't be able to diagnose the cause of the leak until the pipe is excavated.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In that sense, the film answers its own question.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
-
To get a better sense of that, CBS News Bay Area spoke with Arkesha Baquet, co-owner of Li'l Dizzy's Café in New Orleans, home of Super Bowl LIX.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The brainchild of Chris Roberts, the mind behind Wing Commander and Freelancer, Star Citizen is probably the most ambitious ongoing project in video games, having raised nearly one billion dollars in funding as of this writing.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But for the mother-daughter pair, their minds were on Minneapolis and how federal agents have handled immigration enforcement.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This focuses on mission reasoning, tasking, coordination, and supervision across multiple platforms and domains.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The reasoning was equally consistent.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
London — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Britain’s Prince Andrew, has moved out of his longtime Windsor home and is now a resident of Norfolk, England, CNN understands.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
That’s what’s gotta be understood.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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