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
Shradha Shahani, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
And for some reason, Oscar doesn’t prioritize their dishes going out first?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Celina Yong, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Those are the people, Hall reasoned, who have the expendable income for the devices, which range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
Other resorts may welcome kids but not at the overwater villas for safety reasons.
—Shradha Shahani, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
And for some reason, Oscar doesn’t prioritize their dishes going out first?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Artificial intelligence could reason over a person’s longitudinal history rather than isolated snapshots.
—Celina Yong, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Those are the people, Hall reasoned, who have the expendable income for the devices, which range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
Slavery is an appropriate explanation for the Civil War; God’s will is not.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Armed men abducted former Malian minister Mountaga Tall from his home without explanation or arrest warrant, his family said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors hadn’t even offered a motive to connect him to the shooting.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The motive remains unclear, though state media reported the man left documents behind at the courthouse outlining his grievances.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Looking for an excuse to eat, drink and be merry this weekend?—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
At Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, baseball coach George Hedricks needed no excuses to start freshman Mattias Di Maggio, considering last name of DiMaggio is one of the best baseball names in the history of the sport.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The city’s medical examiner will determine the cause of death.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
-
Police have said a medical examiner determined Stewart's cause of death was strangulation and blunt force trauma.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Keep the conversation moving, and let flexibility strengthen your position and perspective while maintaining your sense of balance and fairness.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
While the work’s English title might indicate a sense of amusement or distraction, the Chinese title is an idiom that refers to being caught in a dilemma, like a boat that has left one shore but has not yet reached the other.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Carly loves playing hostess, and designs interiors above all with socializing in mind—the conversation pit is one of her favorite midcentury tropes.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Andrillon warned against trying to harness the sleeping mind in the service of the waking world.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Bowman, for his part, said his reasoning for bringing the pole up for discussion was much more mundane than some were suggesting.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
DeSantis’ latest reasoning emerged Monday — and the outcome could lead to blatant political gerrymandering in Florida and the elimination of the Fair Districts Amendment approved by voters in 2010.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Brown doesn’t need social media to understand the opportunity at his fingertips.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In the 1950s, Walt Disney understood that Disneyland was the necessary lifeline that allowed the Walt Disney Studios to survive the arrival of television.—
Roland Betancourt,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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