as in explanations
a statement given to explain a belief or act
the rationale for starting the school day an hour later is that kids will supposedly get an extra hour of sleep
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Recent Examples of rationales
Evans, chairman Paraag Marathe, and sporting director Adam Underwood can be held to these rationales as United’s campaign unfolds.
—
Beren Cross, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
If Britain can declare prayer a punishable offense, how long before the same rationales find their way across the Atlantic?
—Lois McLatchie Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
These various rationales add up to one approach, especially in the most high-design, high-tech high-rises.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 12 Dec. 2024
This episode of What’s Ahead demolishes the rationales of these anti-car fanatics.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
The rationales have changed, but the policies remain the same.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 13 Oct. 2024
All of these rationales have further raised the stakes on what will happen after the Party Congress is finished.
—Yanzhong Huang, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2022
Beren Cross, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
If Britain can declare prayer a punishable offense, how long before the same rationales find their way across the Atlantic?
—Lois McLatchie Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
These various rationales add up to one approach, especially in the most high-design, high-tech high-rises.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 12 Dec. 2024
This episode of What’s Ahead demolishes the rationales of these anti-car fanatics.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
The rationales have changed, but the policies remain the same.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 13 Oct. 2024
All of these rationales have further raised the stakes on what will happen after the Party Congress is finished.
—Yanzhong Huang, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationales
Noun
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Checking the boxes Rings and moons aren't the only potential explanations for blockages seen during occultations.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Other more mundane explanations of disappearances include weather, such as rogue waves, human error and more.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Trump claimed without evidence that McEntarfer had manipulated statistics for political reasons.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
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Housing is one of the reasons anyone in tech will tell you that the industry is thriving in California largely in spite of regulations, not because of them.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Ninth Circuit heard oral arguments in the federal case May 15.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Oral arguments are expected to take place in November.—
Erin Doherty,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rationales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationales. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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