noun
-
the act or process of drawing conclusions from facts, evidence, etc
-
the arguments, proofs, etc, so adduced
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing reasoning
Argumentative Writing
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The AP English Exam: The Language of the Test
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Given the lack of explanation in the court’s order, we can’t be sure how the justices voted or what their reasoning was.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
That was no surprise, but more notable was their reasoning for it: The department argued that the lawsuits were premature because federal agencies haven’t even started to implement the order yet.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
The ruling, which is called a stay, issued on Thursday was part of the court's emergency docket and came with no reasoning attached.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
AI systems allow robots to learn from human action and apply reasoning to solve real-world problems.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
She told them all about the participle, though I myself followed little of her reasoning.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
