rationale

American  

[rash-uh-nal] / ˌræʃ əˈnæl /

noun

rationales plural

1. the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something.

   Synonyms:

   ground, basis, logic

2. a statement of reasons.

3. a reasoned exposition of principles.

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rationale British  

/ ˌræʃəˈnɑːl /

noun

1. a reasoned exposition, esp one defining the fundamental reasons for a course of action, belief, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rationales
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rationale

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin: neuter of ratiōnālis rational

Explanation

The rationale for something is the basic or underlying reason or explanation for it. This noun (pronounced "rash-uh-NAL") is usually used in the singular: What was the rationale behind his decision to quit? The related adjective rational means "based on facts or reason" or "having the ability to think clearly." An example of a rational rationale? You add extra baking soda to pancake batter under the rationale that if you want them to be fluffier, you need more rising agent. Rationale is from Latin, from rationalis "relating to reason," from ratio "calculation, reason," from rērī "to consider, think."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rationale rationales

The word “DeFiant” was a coy wink to this idea of decentralized currency, known as DeFi, the ostensible rationale for the new Trump–Witkoff platform.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

As a long-term shareholder in both companies, Norges Bank Investment Management said it understood the rationale for a combination and the proposal merited consideration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Italian telecommunications company, also known as TIM, said Saturday that its board viewed favorably the rationale and industrial prospects of the deal, and deemed the price to be fair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

While Thursday’s decision dealt with Haitians and Syrians, its rationale could affect up to 1.3 million noncitizens who are protected by Temporary Protected Status.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Greenberg’s rationale was that English was the language of the aviation world.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

That will create more costs for borrowers in the form of volatility and risk premiums, as investors guess at policy rationales and how the central bank will respond to recent data.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

Among the chief rationales for the lower tax rate on capital gains is to counter the effect of inflation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026

None of these rationales bears any relation to a traditional American national security strategy.

From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026

The evolving rationales have exposed the contrast between the monthslong planning that went into the initial military assault and what one senior administration official characterized as minimal conversation about who would take over the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

We have heard the rationales offered by the nuclear superpowers.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• excuse
• explanation
• hypothesis
• justification
• motivation
• motive
• philosophy
• principle
• rationalization
• reason
• theory