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 administration's rationale appears to center on China's failure to negotiate or de-escalate the trade war, coming after Beijing hiked tariffs on U.S. goods to 84 percent in its own bout of reciprocity.
—
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
At the time, the rationale was clear: reducing friction for small consignments benefited consumers, supported small businesses, and allowed customs authorities to focus their resources on high-value or high-risk goods.
—Aleksandra Bal, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
After multitudes of motions, and voluminous discovery, the trial in what ultimately came to be known as O’Bannon v. NCAA took place over two weeks in June 2014, during which Wilken evinced her growing but understated skepticism about the NCAA’s rationale for preventing athletes from getting paid.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
The rationale was to reduce the risks involved in making loans on older condos like Champlain Towers that may have undisclosed or unaddressed maintenance, repair or financial issues.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rationale
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Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
At the time, the rationale was clear: reducing friction for small consignments benefited consumers, supported small businesses, and allowed customs authorities to focus their resources on high-value or high-risk goods.
—Aleksandra Bal, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
After multitudes of motions, and voluminous discovery, the trial in what ultimately came to be known as O’Bannon v. NCAA took place over two weeks in June 2014, during which Wilken evinced her growing but understated skepticism about the NCAA’s rationale for preventing athletes from getting paid.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
The rationale was to reduce the risks involved in making loans on older condos like Champlain Towers that may have undisclosed or unaddressed maintenance, repair or financial issues.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 2025.
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rationale
noun
ra·tio·nale
ˌrash-ə-ˈnal
: a basic reason or explanation for something
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