irrational
Americanadjective
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without the faculty of reason; deprived of reason.
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without or deprived of normal mental clarity or sound judgment.
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not in accordance with reason; utterly illogical.
irrational arguments.
- Synonyms:
- insensate, ridiculous, unreasonable
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not endowed with the faculty of reason.
irrational animals.
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Mathematics.
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(of a number) not capable of being expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers.
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(of a function) not capable of being expressed exactly as a ratio of two polynomials.
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Algebra. (of an equation) having an unknown under a radical sign or, alternately, with a fractional exponent.
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Greek and Latin Prosody.
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of or relating to a substitution in the normal metrical pattern, especially a long syllable for a short one.
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noting a foot or meter containing such a substitution.
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noun
adjective
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inconsistent with reason or logic; illogical; absurd
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incapable of reasoning
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maths
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not rational
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( as noun )
an irrational
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prosody
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of or relating to a metrical irregularity, usually the occurrence of a long syllable instead of a short one
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denoting a metrical foot where such an irregularity occurs
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irrational
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin irratiōnālis; see ir- 2 ( def. ), rational ( def. )
Explanation
If you're a straight-A student and still you worry about failing all of your classes, you're being irrational. Your fears are not based on fact and not likely to come true. Usually you use irrational to describe ideas and thoughts that are not based on reason, although emotions and behavior can be irrational too if they don't seem reasonable. Do you jump onto a chair and scream when you see a mouse? If so, you have an irrational fear of mice, or musophobia. If someone takes a swing at you for failing to say excuse me when you burp, both their anger and their actions could be called irrational.
Vocabulary lists containing irrational
Pi Day Vocabulary
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The Number System
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Divergent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In other words, he was dealing with a country just as bellicose and irrational as he is, and it had him in a funk.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
“This shows just how irrational investor expectations are becoming, and that sets a dangerous precedent,” Puckrin said, adding that SK Hynix is vulnerable given how heavily retail investors drive the South Korean stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Greenspan is most well-known for his 1996 speech in which he mused about irrational exuberance in the financial markets.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
The faint, irrational worry that maybe I’m not who I thought I was.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
The concept of the irrational was hidden like a time bomb inside Greek mathematics.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
