reasonable

[ree-zuh-nuh-buhl, reez-nuh-]

adjective

1. agreeable to reason or sound judgment; logical.

   a reasonable choice for chairman.

   Synonyms: wise, judicious, intelligent, equitable

2. not exceeding the limit prescribed by reason; not excessive.

   reasonable terms.

   Synonyms: just, fair, equitable

3. moderate, especially in price; not expensive.

   The coat was reasonable but not cheap.

4. endowed with reason.

5. capable of rational behavior, decision, etc.

reasonable

/ ˈriːzənəbəl /

adjective

1. showing reason or sound judgment

2. having the ability to reason

3. having modest or moderate expectations; not making unfair demands

4. moderate in price; not expensive

5. fair; average

   reasonable weather

Other Word Forms

• reasonableness noun
• reasonability noun
• reasonably adverb
• half-reasonable adjective
• half-reasonably adverb
• nonreasonability noun
• nonreasonable adjective
• nonreasonableness noun
• nonreasonably adverb
• quasi-reasonable adjective
• quasi-reasonably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of reasonable¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English resonable, from Middle French raisonnable, from Latin ratiōnābilis. See reason, -able

Idioms and Phrases

see beyond a (reasonable) doubt.

Synonym Study

Reasonable, rational refer to the faculty of reasoning. Rational can refer to the reasoning faculty itself or to something derived from that faculty: rational powers; a rational analysis. It can also mean sane or sensible: She was no longer rational; a rational plan. Reasonable most often means sensible: A reasonable supposition is one which appeals to our common sense. See moderate.

Example Sentences

“To restore the natural fire frequency and chaparral habitats,” it states, “Topanga State Park should be left to burn within reasonable public safety limits and outside of fire exclusion zones.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Price: Compare prices before signing up to determine if the asking price is in the “reasonable” ballpark.

Read more on Salon

There are a few scenarios that could play out, but the most likely is that OpenAI “resets expectations based on more reasonable assumptions next year,” the analysts say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But there was no reasonable explanation for what happened Tuesday night.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

New York, Paris and Milan are among those that already charge a tourist tax, with research showing that reasonable fees have minimal impact on visitor numbers.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• acceptable 
• cheap 
• equitable 
• fair 
• feasible 
• honest 
• humane 
• impartial 
• judicious 
• justifiable 
• legitimate 
• modest 
• objective 
• plausible 
• proper 
• prudent 
• rational 
• restrained 
• sane 
• sensible