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reason
[ ree-zuhn ]
noun
- a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.:
the reasons for declaring war.
- a statement presented in justification or explanation of a belief or action:
I dare you to give me one good reason for quitting school!
- sufficient cause, as produced by a situation that makes an act, feeling, etc., obviously proper or appropriate:
After the mess he made of our yard, we have good reason to look for another landscaper.
Synonyms: rationalization, excuse
- the mental powers concerned with forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences:
Effective leadership requires a person of reason.
Synonyms: intelligence, mind, intellect, understanding
- sound judgment; good sense.
- normal or sound powers of mind; sanity.
- Logic. a premise of an argument.
- Philosophy.
- the faculty or power of acquiring intellectual knowledge, either by direct understanding of first principles or by argument.
- the power of intelligent and dispassionate thought, or of conduct influenced by such thought.
- Kantianism. the faculty by which the ideas of pure reason are created.
verb (used without object)
- to think or argue in a logical manner.
- to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises.
- to urge reasons which should determine belief or action.
Synonyms: persuade
verb (used with object)
- to think through logically, as a problem (often followed by out ).
- to conclude or infer.
- to convince, persuade, etc., by reasoning.
- to support with reasons.
reason
/ ˈriːzən /
noun
- the faculty of rational argument, deduction, judgment, etc
- sound mind; sanity
- a cause or motive, as for a belief, action, etc
- an argument in favour of or a justification for something
- philosophy the intellect regarded as a source of knowledge, as contrasted with experience
- logic grounds for a belief; a premise of an argument supporting that belief
- by reason ofbecause of
- in reason or within reasonwithin moderate or justifiable bounds
- it stands to reasonit is logical or obvious
it stands to reason that he will lose
- listen to reasonto be persuaded peaceably
- reasons of Statepolitical justifications for an immoral act
verb
- when tr, takes a clause as object to think logically or draw (logical conclusions) from facts or premises
- intrusually foll bywith to urge or seek to persuade by reasoning
- troften foll byout to work out or resolve (a problem) by reasoning
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Usage Note
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Usage
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Derived Forms
- ˈreasoner, noun
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Other Words From
- reason·er noun
- non·reason noun
- non·reason·er noun
- outreason verb (used with object)
- sub·reason noun
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of reason1
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Idioms and Phrases
- bring (someone) to reason, to induce a change of opinion in (someone) through presentation of arguments; convince:
The mother tried to bring her rebellious daughter to reason.
- by reason of, on account of; because of:
He was consulted about the problem by reason of his long experience.
- in / within reason, in accord with reason; justifiable; proper:
She tried to keep her demands in reason.
- stand to reason, to be clear, obvious, or logical:
With such an upbringing it stands to reason that the child will be spoiled.
- with reason, with justification; properly:
The government is concerned about the latest crisis, and with reason.
More idioms and phrases containing reason
see by reason of ; in reason ; it stands to reason ; listen to reason ; lose one's mind (reason) ; rhyme or reason ; see reason ; stand to reason ; with reason .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
We have reason to believe these kinds of viruses spread better when it’s cold.
Today, Feynman’s “dippy process” has become as ubiquitous in physics as calculus, and its mechanics reveal the reasons for some of the discipline’s greatest successes and its current challenges.
There are a number of reasons why a particular virus might be more active during certain times of year.
Comparing these results with 2016 exit polling is tricky for a few reasons.
One of the reasons for this behavior is that consumers who would ordinarily visit stores are buying online to avoid potential exposure to the virus.
When twelve people are killed by violence, whoever they are, for whatever reason, that is a tragedy and a waste.
The research literature, too, asks these questions, and not without reason.
The reason we were liberals is we were against oppression.
There is a larger reason, beyond the airlines themselves, why Lion Air and 61 other Indonesian airlines are on this black list.
Yet, for god knows what reason, his name is never brought up in the “Great American Filmmaker” conversation.
To Americans Mrs. Wright is interesting by reason of her patriotism, which amounted to a passion.
Wordsworth has illustrated how an unwise and importunate demand for a reason from a child may drive him into invention.
And she fell to scolding him in the way he usually loved,—but at the moment found less stimulating for some reason.
The reason we associate rhythm with the significance of time is that rhythm is a measurer of time.
That she had her definite reason he knew, as a woman knows when another woman is wearing a last year's gown.
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Related Words
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.
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