Showing Results for "reasoning"

See Also:

• present participle of reason.

reasoning

American  

[ree-zuh-ning, reez-ning] / ˈri zə nɪŋ, ˈriz nɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of a person who reasons.

2. the process of forming conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises.

3. the reasons, arguments, proofs, etc., resulting from this process.

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reasoning British  

/ ˈriːzənɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of drawing conclusions from facts, evidence, etc

2. the arguments, proofs, etc, so adduced

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• reasoningly
  adverb
• half-reasoning
  adjective
• nonreasoning
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of reasoning

First recorded in 1325–75, reasoning is from the Middle English word resoninge. See reason, -ing ²

Explanation

Reasoning is a logical, thoughtful way of thinking. When your teacher explains the reasoning behind his classroom rules, he makes it clear exactly why and how he came up with them. Voters often want to understand the reasoning behind certain laws, and toddlers almost always want to know the reasoning behind rules about bedtime and wearing warm clothes on cold days. You can also use reasoning as an adjective, to describe someone who can think logically. A reasoning adult can make decisions for herself. The word comes from reason, which is rooted in the Old French raisoner, "discuss or argue," and the Late Latin rationare, "to discourse."

Example Sentences

Wednesday's Pearson Edexcel paper one exam has left students feeling "overwhelmed" and "uncertain" by questions that required "multiple layers of reasoning" and "extended algebraic manipulation".

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

At its annual developer conference, Microsoft Build, the group unveiled MAI-Thinking-1, its first "reasoning" model -- AI systems that break down problems step-by-step before responding, similar to offerings from OpenAI, Google or Anthropic.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

It’s not uncommon for a justice dissenting from a shadow-docket order to explain their reasoning, even in a way that compares the instant matters with other cases that have recently come before the court.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

The circuit court’s reasoning rests on a “necessarily connected” test—if a facility is sufficiently intertwined with mining operations nearby, it qualifies as a mine under the Mine Act’s definition.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Without devious reasoning or complicated emotional processes, the boy became Katie’s whole world.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

Related Words

• acumen
• analysis
• argument
• hypothesis
• inference
• interpretation
• premise
• proposition
• rationale
• thinking