rationally

American  

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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of rationally

rational ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

A recent impromptu comment to a stranger I met in our local gym gave me eye-opening insights into how someone whose political views are very different from mine can rationally justify his opinions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

The public, quite rationally, tends to assign blame to the party in power.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Now, how is that rationally related to white-collar-crime reduction?

From Slate • Jan. 20, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025

You could go around implying you’d read all kinds of things, nodding knowingly when someone mentioned, say, War and Peace, and the understanding was that no one would scrutinise your claim too rationally.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• intelligently
• judiciously
• logically
• reasonably
• wisely