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

Given the improving technical backdrop, I believe an entry here makes sense, with a reasonable target near $45 in the first quarter of 2026.

Read more on Barron's

Or it’s a fair price to pay for a stock to earn a reasonable return in the future.

Read more on Barron's

“What’s key is the tremendous preparedness efforts that have been ongoing many days in advance of the storm ... have helped mitigate impacts — preventing some reasonable worst-case impacts from coming to fruition.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“JSID reviews all cases presented to them by law enforcement using the standard of whether charges can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt,” the D.A.’s office said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At one point, Quirino asked Murillo if he understood that “the more dangerous, the worse, Mr. Carrillo appears, the more reasonable you look and the better you look.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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