rationally

[rash-uh-nl-ee, rash-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.

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rationally¹

rational ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Reducing disclosures, and thus transparency, results in less data, which then reduces investors’ ability to make decisions and price assets rationally.

Read more on Barron's

At the same time, I found it hard to reconcile the idea that parents rationally invest in their children’s futures with my own upbringing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There no reality in which our next president is rationally evaluated on their record — our current president has a criminal one and that didn’t make a difference.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And he would talk his sons through conflicts patiently and rationally, “through all sides of what was happening,” Ryan said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I have an angry fire inside of me and every time I want to speak with him rationally, I just get so mad, and I withdraw.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• intelligently www.thesaurus.com
• judiciously 
• logically 
• reasonably www.thesaurus.com
• wisely