rationale

[ rash-uh-nal ]

noun

1. the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something.

   Synonyms: ground, basis, logic

2. a statement of reasons.
3. a reasoned exposition of principles.

rationale

/ ˌræʃəˈnɑːl /

noun

1. a reasoned exposition, esp one defining the fundamental reasons for a course of action, belief, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of rationale¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin: neuter of ratiōnālis rational

Word History and Origins

Origin of rationale¹

C17: from New Latin, from Latin ratiōnālis

Example Sentences

“The only plausible rationale is that they want fewer people taking tests, because as the president has said, if we don’t take tests, you won’t know the number of people who are Covid-positive,” Cuomo told The New York Times.

From Popular-Science

If Xi concludes that it’s pointless to wait for America’s anti-China politics to ebb, the rationale to strike back grows.

From Ozy

Even after decades of molecular research on the light-harvesting machinery in plants, scientists could not establish a detailed rationale for plants’ color.

From Quanta Magazine

The rationale for doing so centered not on an antitrust analysis, but because he did not like the nature of their underlying business.

From Quartz

Most studies that used only one sex offered no rationale for doing so.

From Science News

But fishing for rationale in harassment is almost always a waste of time.

From The Daily Beast

Erdogan and AKP officials also use religious rationale against abortion.

From The Daily Beast

The rationale in those cases, he said, is that DNA should be used to identify the assailant.

From The Daily Beast

What was your rationale behind ending Rilo Kiley and moving on to the next phase of your career?

From The Daily Beast

The feminist rationale for ectogenesis seems to practically write itself.

From The Daily Beast

As far as the rationale can be given of what is finally irrational, he interprets the moral situation for us.

From Project Gutenberg

For the utensil is the symbol of a psychology, of a rationale of living, of an esthetic ideal, of a spiritual recognition.

From Project Gutenberg

For I found upon inquiry they could not give any manner of rationale of their own divine service.

From Project Gutenberg

The practical value of Bentham's method is perhaps best illustrated by his Rationale of Evidence.

From Project Gutenberg

The wheels had merely got clogged by the oil congealed by the cold; which at once explains the rationale of the remedy adopted.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• excuse
• explanation
• hypothesis
• justification
• motivation
• motive
• philosophy
• principle
• rationalization
• reason
• theory