Synonyms

rationally

American

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

adverb

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of rationally

rational ( def. ) + -ly

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.

"With these findings, we're laying a new foundation for rationally designing tires."

From Science Daily • May 13, 2026

It's easy to imagine you would act rationally, morally and without hesitation but Should I Marry a Murderer?,

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

With such a serious potential risk hanging over the market, investors are rationally choosing to favor stocks with the strongest expected earnings growth and some of the highest-quality fundamentals, Thooft said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

"The citizens participating in the debate react emotionally, while the scientists try to argue rationally," Stegbauer, the sociologist with Frankfurt University, told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

It was Mr. Collins’s picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Elizabeth perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023