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
Freed from all the entanglements that come with having to launch a ground invasion, air war can overfly not just morality and law but arguments, rationales, the calibration of risks to rewards and of suffering to satisfaction.
—
Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Investors look for reasons to take profits, even though the rationales may have nothing to do with the market action.
—Michael Hiltzik, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Instead, the White House offered frequently shifting rationales for its war and little outreach to the Iranian resistance.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, that’s one of the main rationales for banks issuing these lifestyle cards.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Among the chief rationales for the lower tax rate on capital gains is to counter the effect of inflation.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, as the military operation continues, the Administration has offered, what appear to be, differing rationales for the initial strikes, prompting further confusion and demands from Congress for answers.
—Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
The administration has offered shifting rationales and timelines since the start of the conflict.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
But each of these rationales demands a different strategy; eliminating an imminent threat involves a different set of operations than establishing peace in the region (or the world).
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Investors look for reasons to take profits, even though the rationales may have nothing to do with the market action.
—Michael Hiltzik, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Instead, the White House offered frequently shifting rationales for its war and little outreach to the Iranian resistance.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Indeed, that’s one of the main rationales for banks issuing these lifestyle cards.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Among the chief rationales for the lower tax rate on capital gains is to counter the effect of inflation.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, as the military operation continues, the Administration has offered, what appear to be, differing rationales for the initial strikes, prompting further confusion and demands from Congress for answers.
—Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 Mar. 2026
The administration has offered shifting rationales and timelines since the start of the conflict.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
But each of these rationales demands a different strategy; eliminating an imminent threat involves a different set of operations than establishing peace in the region (or the world).
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationales
Noun
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Advertisement Allen also looked to provide explanations for his absence to his friends and students before leaving California on his journey, describing it as a personal emergency, officials told the New York Times.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
27 Apr. 2026
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Trust in the county is low after months of complaints about communications and explanations for delays.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Of course, artists make choices in biographical shows for a whole variety of reasons, whether in service of the storytelling, to appease those who would prefer to remain anonymous or even self-protection.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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One of the primary reasons that some car buyers avoid vehicles with electric powertrains is the lengthy duration of charging sessions.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During closing arguments, Lynn Johnson, an attorney for Christine and Christopher Nolte, suggested the jury award $10 million for noneconomic damages and $5 million for economic damages.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
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But this foundation of modern math has inspired fierce arguments since it was first proposed.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rationales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationales. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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