reasonable
Americanadjective
-
agreeable to reason or sound judgment; logical.
a reasonable choice for chairman.
- Synonyms:
- wise, judicious, intelligent, equitable
-
not exceeding the limit prescribed by reason; not excessive.
reasonable terms.
-
moderate, especially in price; not expensive.
The coat was reasonable but not cheap.
-
endowed with reason.
-
capable of rational behavior, decision, etc.
adjective
-
showing reason or sound judgment
-
having the ability to reason
-
having modest or moderate expectations; not making unfair demands
-
moderate in price; not expensive
-
fair; average
reasonable weather
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- half-reasonable adjective
- half-reasonably adverb
- nonreasonability noun
- nonreasonable adjective
- nonreasonableness noun
- nonreasonably adverb
- quasi-reasonable adjective
- quasi-reasonably adverb
- reasonability noun
- reasonableness noun
- reasonably adverb
Etymology
Origin of reasonable
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English resonable, from Middle French raisonnable, from Latin ratiōnābilis. See reason, -able
Explanation
Reasonable describes someone or something that's sensible and fair, like your teacher who gives reasonable homework assignments — they don't take you forever to do and they relate to what you are studying. If you're reasonable, you have good sense and judgment. A reasonable decision is rational and thought out, like your mom's reasonable rule about not eating crumbly foods in her car. When you describe a store's prices as reasonable, you mean they're fair — not too high. And if you are given a reasonable amount of time to do a project for school, you have no excuse for it being late.
Vocabulary lists containing reasonable
Twelve Angry Men
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Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address (1801)
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Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
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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.
A substantial majority of American business leaders are planning for U.S. tariffs to stay elevated for years — and that’s a reasonable expectation, according to trade specialists at PwC.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
"We can't show directly that that's happening, but we think it's a reasonable way that they could be winding up in the air. Sewage sludge fertilizers have been shown to release similar compounds."
From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026
They synthesize and parrot back the script’s outrageous plot points, serving as a Greek chorus, though being reasonable wouldn’t push Anna toward her destiny.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
“Recent reporting of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted. The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion,” the Pentagon said in a statement on X.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
She made it seem so reasonable, like it was totally okay to just ask a guy what his name was.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
