noun
-
the act or process of drawing conclusions from facts, evidence, etc
-
the arguments, proofs, etc, so adduced
Other Word Forms
- half-reasoning adjective
- nonreasoning adjective
- reasoningly adverb
Etymology
Origin of reasoning
First recorded in 1325–75, reasoning is from the Middle English word resoninge. See reason, -ing 2
Explanation
Reasoning is a logical, thoughtful way of thinking. When your teacher explains the reasoning behind his classroom rules, he makes it clear exactly why and how he came up with them. Voters often want to understand the reasoning behind certain laws, and toddlers almost always want to know the reasoning behind rules about bedtime and wearing warm clothes on cold days. You can also use reasoning as an adjective, to describe someone who can think logically. A reasoning adult can make decisions for herself. The word comes from reason, which is rooted in the Old French raisoner, "discuss or argue," and the Late Latin rationare, "to discourse."
Vocabulary lists containing reasoning
Argumentative Writing
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The AP English Exam: The Language of the Test
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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.
His reasoning is pretty airtight: The Virginia Constitution says exactly when the “general election” was held for legal purposes, and it was Nov. 4, 2025.
From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026
His reasoning: The Department of Justice has until June 7 to appeal the Supreme Court’s decision.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
Because agentic AI works “in continuous loops of reasoning, planning, execution and learning,” Google said it determined the industry would benefit from separate, specialized chips.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
The intelligence level of mainstream humanoid robot models is currently around L2, which means basic multimodal perception, execution and reasoning capabilities, they say in a research note.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
He was deluded by obsession; his logic and reasoning became corrupted, irrational, and increasingly dangerous.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
