rationalization

American  

[rash-uh-nl-ahy-zey-shuhn, rash-nl-] / ˌræʃ ə nl aɪˈzeɪ ʃən, ˌræʃ nl- /

especially British, rationalisation

noun

1. the act or process of ascribing one’s actions, opinions, etc., to causes that seem reasonable and valid but are actually unrelated to the true, possibly unconscious and often less complimentary ones.

   Those who torture prisoners believe, in their loftiest rationalizations, that they are committing their deeds for the good of the nation.

2. the act or process of making something conformable to reason or to the principle that reason is the highest authority for truth.

   In conceiving the world as a Newtonian universe governed by natural laws, Taylor provided the conceptual framework for the rationalization of the world in the 20th century.

3. Chiefly British. the act or process of reorganizing and integrating an industry, company, etc., to make it more efficient and profitable.

   The film studios were able to achieve such remarkable production figures through a rationalization of their working practices.

4. Mathematics. the act or process of eliminating radicals from an equation or expression.

   Rationalization will make calculation easier, as the denominator will now be an integer instead of a radical.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overrationalization
  noun
• nonrationalization
  noun

Etymology

Origin of rationalization

rationaliz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Explanation

Rationalization means organizing something into a logically coherent system. Factory organization is often rationalized to make it as efficient as possible. Sometimes rationalization means a way someone justifies their action. You might take the last piece of chocolate cake because, gosh darn it, you wanted it, but you justify it with the rationalization that "it was just going to go to waste."

Example Sentences

Rationalization, confirmation bias, and the desire to avoid regret over irreversible actions all make people very willing to throw their past selves under the bus.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2015

Reggie Bush Rationalization Season is upon us, a time to examine all of the underlying reasons for Bush’s slow start while missing the main reason: he simply is not very good.

From New York Times • Sep. 30, 2011

"Rationalization in our industry is a very slow death," said one industry executive, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

From Reuters • May 24, 2011

A companion bill for "Rationalization . . . and the Development of Economical Activity" would have empowered an economic dictator to fire company directors, effect mergers, expand or limit production, or even confiscate industries.

From Time Magazine Archive

Rationalization: The process of substituting a plausible, false explanation for a repressed, unconscious desire.

From Outwitting Our Nerves A Primer of Psychotherapy by Jackson, Josephine A.

Related Words

• justification
• rationale