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.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonrationalization noun
• overrationalization 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

“Our constructive stance is anchored on four key pillars: a prolonged supply chain normalization, a structural risk premium in oil and chemicals, accelerating capacity rationalization, and still-conservative forward estimates,” added Ahmed.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

This isn’t just historical rationalization; the same logic applies to today’s immigration protests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

“Marketplace is undergoing a rationalization, addition by subtraction, as we reduce our exposure while the risk pool stabilizes,” Zubretsky said, according to a FactSet transcript.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 23, 2025

Because, as slumping closer Tanner Scott came trotting into a nightmare ninth inning in Baltimore on Saturday night, the club’s color analyst on SportsNet LA immediately tried to offer a rationalization for his entrance.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025

Thus the growing process of intellectualization and rationalization does not imply a growing understanding of the conditions under which we live.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• justification
• rationale