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
The rationale, according to airline analysts, is straightforward: solo travelers are more likely to be business travelers, who typically book flights with less concern about cost due to corporate budgets.
—
Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
The ruling leaves some other Trump tariffs in place, including those on foreign steel, aluminum and autos, because those levies were imposed based on a different legal rationale and came after investigations by government agencies.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 29 May 2025
Eric — What was the rationale behind extending Jon Horst?
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 21 May 2025
In his petition to the Supreme Court, Sauer zeroed in on the appellate court’s rationale for affirming Chen’s injunction.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
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Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
The ruling leaves some other Trump tariffs in place, including those on foreign steel, aluminum and autos, because those levies were imposed based on a different legal rationale and came after investigations by government agencies.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 29 May 2025
Eric — What was the rationale behind extending Jon Horst?
—Eric Nehm, New York Times, 21 May 2025
In his petition to the Supreme Court, Sauer zeroed in on the appellate court’s rationale for affirming Chen’s injunction.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 21 May 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 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌrash-ə-ˈnal
: a basic reason or explanation for something
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