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rationalize

[rash-uh-nl-ahyz, rash-nl-ahyz] / ˈræʃ ə nlˌaɪz, ˈræʃ nlˌaɪz /


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.

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“In all of the history of money bail there has never been an attempt to rationalize the money amounts. The money amounts of the bonds are literally picked out of the air.”

From Los Angeles Times May 29, 2026

"Our findings allowed us to rationalize the critical role of engineering the hydrogen-bond network at the catalyst/electrolyte interface in designing high-efficiency, low-cost AEMWEs," Wu said.

From Science Daily May 18, 2026

“We will absolutely have to rationalize the overall corporate overhead of the company,” Ellison said after being asked about the possibility of layoffs.

From MarketWatch Mar. 7, 2026

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins in a presentation mostly aimed at showing that the agencies would harmonize their rules to promote cryptocurrency innovation and rationalize margin collateral requirements in securities markets.

From Barron's Jan. 31, 2026

They discounted the boy’s protests for their impracticality and sought to rationalize expenditure.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Kane, who declined to disclose his average earnings, rationalizes that big losses are just part of the job.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 9, 2026

“Barbarian” systematically rationalizes questionable character decisions, dismantling defenses with logic, an appeal to humanity and the promise of unearthing mysteries.

From Seattle Times Sep. 7, 2022

Francis just barely refrains from calling her crazy, though he refers to her experiences as “a fantasy” and capably rationalizes this stranger’s behavior.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 1, 2022

Irene compartmentalizes and rationalizes her act; she needs to cool down, the tearoom is a breezy refuge, if one she intentionally seeks out rather than merely happens upon.

From New York Times Nov. 11, 2021

It annoys my father no end, but he rationalizes it by saying, “We live in a service economy. We all have to feed it somehow.”

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Unilateral action can be rationalized as acting because it is too cumbersome to mobilize allies whose interests do not align with one’s own.

From Salon Mar. 14, 2026

“Once an artificial intelligence weapon system produces safety hazards, the ‘algorithm black box’ may become a rationalized excuse for the relevant responsible parties to shirk responsibility,” he wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 25, 2026

And refining capacity is being rationalized globally, not just in the U.S.

From Barron's Jan. 10, 2026

“We rationalized that if this area were to burn, the whole town would burn,” he said.

From MarketWatch Oct. 15, 2025

After thinking about it for a while, Bloom rationalized that he did feel some gratitude for not now being obliged to make the radical commitments he had always feared.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

“We’ve probably done more rationalizing the supply chain, for example shutting down plants rather than investing in creating a new manufacturing footprint,” McNamara said.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 8, 2026

The agency describes the move as "a step forward in rationalizing its use and promoting its safe and responsible use."

From Science Daily Feb. 26, 2026

I'm a lot better now at rationalizing facts and reminding myself of what those things are, and that helps me not get ahead of myself and have a super emotional reaction to a thing.

From Salon Apr. 17, 2025

In rationalizing the closing of his shop, Tolliver reminded me he’d scaled back to working part time and was only cutting the hair of a core group of customers and friends.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 6, 2024

Moreover, the rationalizing religion of Protestant countries is commonly found in alliance with political freedom.

From Through Nature to God by John Fiske




Vocabulary lists containing rationalize


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