rationale

American  

[rash-uh-nal] / ˌræʃ əˈnæl /

noun

• rationales
  plural

1. the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something.

   Synonyms:

   ground, basis, logic

2. a statement of reasons.

3. a reasoned exposition of principles.

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rationale British  

/ ˌræʃəˈnɑːl /

noun

1. a reasoned exposition, esp one defining the fundamental reasons for a course of action, belief, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rationales
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of rationale

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin: neuter of ratiōnālis rational

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Explanation

The rationale for something is the basic or underlying reason or explanation for it. This noun (pronounced "rash-uh-NAL") is usually used in the singular: What was the rationale behind his decision to quit? The related adjective rational means "based on facts or reason" or "having the ability to think clearly." An example of a rational rationale? You add extra baking soda to pancake batter under the rationale that if you want them to be fluffier, you need more rising agent. Rationale is from Latin, from rationalis "relating to reason," from ratio "calculation, reason," from rērī "to consider, think."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rationale rationales

"But I want to make it very clear that there will always be a good reason or rationale behind them," he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026

Fielder might be fascinated by motive and rationale, but he’s primarily interested in circumstance, and he understands Holmes’ circumstances perfectly.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

“They want to be able to have a rationale even if nobody outside of China really buys it.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

This year's headroom will be judged in three years rather than four, so there is some rationale as to why a smaller number over a closer target might be appropriate.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

I wonder what his rationale is for giving me the keys to his castle.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

That will create more costs for borrowers in the form of volatility and risk premiums, as investors guess at policy rationales and how the central bank will respond to recent data.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

“Each change arrives wrapped in a reasonable rationale: fiscal discipline, local control, parental choice. But arrange them in the order a child actually grows, and the rationales stop mattering.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

None of these rationales bears any relation to a traditional American national security strategy.

From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026

The evolving rationales have exposed the contrast between the monthslong planning that went into the initial military assault and what one senior administration official characterized as minimal conversation about who would take over the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

We have heard the rationales offered by the nuclear superpowers.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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Related Words

• excuse
• explanation
• hypothesis
• justification
• motivation
• motive
• philosophy
• principle
• rationalization
• reason
• theory

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