rationalise Definition
- 1to make something seem reasonable or sensible, especially something that is not
- 2to find reasons to explain your behaviour, decisions, etc. in order to make it seem more reasonable
Using rationalise: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "rationalise" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He tried to rationalize his decision to quit his job.
Example
She tried to rationalize her behavior by saying that she was stressed.
Example
It's difficult to rationalize such a high price for a simple product.
rationalise Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with rationalise
to try to explain or justify something in order to make it seem less important or serious
Example
He tried to rationalize away his mistake, but it was clear that he had messed up.
to try to convince oneself that something is reasonable or sensible, even if it is not
Example
She rationalized to herself that it was okay to cheat on the test because everyone else was doing it.
to try to explain or justify something until it no longer exists as a problem or issue
Example
He rationalized his fear of flying out of existence by reading books about airplane safety.
Origins of rationalise
from French 'rationaliser', from Latin 'rationalis', meaning 'reasonable'
Summary: rationalise in Brief
The verb 'rationalise' [ˈræʃənəlaɪz] means to make something seem reasonable or sensible, especially something that is not. It can also mean to find reasons to explain your behaviour, decisions, etc. in order to make it seem more reasonable. Examples include 'He tried to rationalize his decision to quit his job,' and 'She tried to rationalize her behavior by saying that she was stressed.' Phrases include 'rationalize something away,' 'rationalize something to oneself,' and 'rationalize something out of existence.'
