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
Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The Television Academy has stubbornly hung on to the old notion that half-hour shows are comedies while hourlong shows are dramas if for no other reason than there doesn’t seem to be a better determining factor.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 June 2025
Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The vast majority of fully orange cats are male, which led scientists to reason decades ago that the genetic code for orange color is carried on the X chromosome.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
The public backlash is part of the reason that long-term institutional investors sent a letter to Tesla’s board in late May raising concerns about the company.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The Television Academy has stubbornly hung on to the old notion that half-hour shows are comedies while hourlong shows are dramas if for no other reason than there doesn’t seem to be a better determining factor.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 June 2025
Verb
Hyland reasoned that the khipu’s last few cords probably were a signature.
—Sam Kean, The Atlantic, 26 May 2025
The vast majority of fully orange cats are male, which led scientists to reason decades ago that the genetic code for orange color is carried on the X chromosome.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
Unless Troops Deployed Other explanations for the declining employment opportunities for white men could lie in troubles in some industries that employ more white men than white women, for example.—
Christian Weller,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Perhaps the best explanation for some of the problems with the rerecordings is that Swift was rushing through them.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Allows Employees To Shift Focus From Failures Gamification in the workplace can shift focus away from dwelling on failures and questioning others' motives.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
Tisch did not offer a motive for the crime, but said that preliminary investigation has turned up surveillance footage of a masked suspect, who is dressed all in black, entering the lot after hopping a fence around 12:40 a.m.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
While the parade honors the Army, some Democrats have accused Trump of using the anniversary as an excuse to mark his birthday, comparing the event to the military parades of autocratic regimes such as Russia and North Korea.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
-
Summary Stop making excuses and embrace courage for business growth.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2025
-
Officials said the Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
Did those moves stir a sense of urgency in the clubhouse?—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
-
On one hand, Hitler’s father instilled in him a deep sense of powerlessness, fear and rage.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Adaptation keeps you top of mind when budgets tighten.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
My pen, my mind and my feelings are in every verse and in every hook.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Massive context windows — In addition to reasoning models, the amount of context that can be included in a prompt is now quite large.—
Jason Andersen,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Like nearly all of the countries on the full ban, Trump points to visa overstay rates as a key component in his reasoning.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Suffering through bad relationships to finally find the ideal romantic partner is a universal story that’s understood by men and women of every age, and of every generation.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
10 June 2025
-
To understand how the deportation dragnet works, TIME joined ICE officers on a pair of morning raids in the New Orleans area.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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