Reason - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT reason /ˈrizən/ /ˈrizən/ IPA guide

Other forms: reasons; reasoning; reasoned

A reason explains why you do something. The reason you go to school is to learn things (and because it's the law).

Reason usually has to do with thought and logic, as opposed to emotion. If people think you show good reason, or are reasonable, it means you think things through. If people think you have a good reason for doing something, it means you have a motive that makes sense. Reason can also be a verb. You might reason something out, which means that you look at all sides of the issue and then and decide what to do.

Definitions of reason

noun a rational motive for a belief or action “the reason that war was declared” synonyms: ground see moresee less types: occasion a reason account, score grounds wherefore, why the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase `the whys and wherefores' type of: rational motive a motive that can be defended by reasoning or logical argument
noun a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion “there is reason to believe he is lying” see moresee less types: indication (medicine) a reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure contraindication (medicine) a reason that makes it inadvisable to prescribe a particular drug or employ a particular procedure or treatment type of: fact a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
noun a justification for something existing or happening “they had good reason to rejoice” synonyms: cause, grounds see moresee less type of: justification a statement in explanation of some action or belief
noun an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon “the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly” see moresee less type of: account, explanation a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
noun the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination “we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil” synonyms: intellect, understanding see moresee less type of: faculty, mental faculty, module one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
noun the state of having good sense and sound judgment “he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions” synonyms: rationality, reasonableness see moresee less type of: saneness, sanity normal or sound powers of mind
verb decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion “We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house” synonyms: conclude, reason out see moresee less types: show 12 types... hide 12 types... induce reason or establish by induction deduce, deduct, derive, infer reason by deduction; establish by deduction syllogise, syllogize reason by syllogisms feel, find come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds deduce, infer conclude by reasoning; in logic gather conclude from evidence extrapolate, generalise, generalize, infer draw from specific cases for more general cases extrapolate gain knowledge of (an area not known or experienced) by extrapolating surmise infer from incomplete evidence elicit derive by reason overgeneralise, overgeneralize draw too general a conclusion universalise, universalize make universal type of: cerebrate, cogitate, think use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments
verb think logically “The children must learn to reason” see moresee less types: show 30 types... hide 30 types... rationalise away, rationalize away substitute a natural for a supernatural explanation of theorize form or construct theories theorize construct a theory about ratiocinate reason methodologically and logically calculate, cipher, compute, cypher, figure, reckon, work out make a mathematical calculation or computation categorise, categorize place into or assign to a category speculate talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion quantise, quantize apply quantum theory to; restrict the number of possible values of (a quantity) or states of (a physical entity or system) so that certain variables can assume only certain discrete magnitudes that are integral multiples of a common factor extract calculate the root of a number process perform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required information prorate divide or assess proportionally miscalculate, misestimate calculate incorrectly recalculate calculate anew average, average out compute the average of factor, factor in, factor out resolve into factors add, add together make an addition by combining numbers deduct, subtract, take off make a subtraction multiply combine by multiplication divide, fraction perform a division extrapolate, interpolate estimate the value of differentiate calculate a derivative; take the derivative integrate calculate the integral of; calculate by integration survey plot a map of (land) assort, class, classify, separate, sort, sort out arrange or order by classes or categories approximate, estimate, gauge, guess, judge judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time) budget make a budget capitalise, capitalize compute the present value of a business or an income resolve, solve find the solution guess, hazard, pretend, venture put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation say, suppose express a supposition type of: cerebrate, cogitate, think use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments
verb present reasons and arguments synonyms: argue see moresee less types: show 6 types... hide 6 types... re-argue argue again expostulate reason with (somebody) for the purpose of dissuasion defend, fend for, support argue or speak in defense of apologise, apologize, excuse, justify, rationalise, rationalize defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning stand up, stick up defend against attack or criticism uphold stand up for; stick up for; of causes, principles, or ideals type of: lay out, present, represent bring forward and present to the mind

Pronunciation US /ˈrizən/ UK /ˈrizən/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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