rationally

American  

[rash-uh-nl-ee, rash-nl-] / ˈræʃ ə nl i, ˈræʃ nl- /

adverb

1. in a way that is agreeable to and supported by reason; sensibly or logically.

   It’s a bit difficult to explain rationally to your teenager why they are being subjected to a drug test at home.

   Right-brain thinking also includes intuition, which is not understood rationally but is nonetheless highly valued.

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Other Word Forms

• antirationally
  adverb
• hyperrationally
  adverb
• nonrationally
  adverb
• overrationally
  adverb
• quasi-rationally
  adverb
• transrationally
  adverb
• ultrarationally
  adverb
• unrationally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of rationally

rational ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rationally

"We can computationally determine exactly which sequences we need and how long they should be, and then we can rationally design them with synthetic DNA," Yennawar said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

“The second one is, can they rationally assist their attorney?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

But there are no guarantees that he’ll act rationally.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026

Now a coolheaded town is rationally panicking that the Presidential visit has put a hex on a team that couldn’t lose.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

This was complete lunacy as far as he was concerned, and there was no way to deal with it rationally.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner

Related Words

• intelligently
• judiciously
• logically
• reasonably
• wisely