Rationalize meaning

răsh'ə-nə-līz'
To justify an immoral act, or illogical behaviour. “The process of thought by which one justifies a discreditable act, and by which one offers to oneself and the world a better motive for one's action than the true motive"
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Rationalize is to attempt to justify something or to make excuses for bad behavior or an unpleasant outcome.

When you steal from your friends but justify it based on the theory that they are spoiled and won't notice the money is gone, this is an example of a situation where you rationalize your behavior.

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To remove radicals, such as from a denominator, without changing the value of (an expression) or roots of (an equation).
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To think in a rational or rationalistic way.
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To make rational; make conform to reason.
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To explain or interpret on rational grounds.
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To apply modern methods of efficiency to (an industry, agriculture, etc.)
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To remove the radical signs from (an expression) without changing the value.
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To devise superficially rational, or plausible, explanations or excuses for (one's acts, beliefs, desires, etc.), usually without being aware that these are not the real motives.
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To think in a rational or rationalistic manner.
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To rationalize one's acts, beliefs, etc.
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To attempt to justify one's behavior by providing reasons that obscure one's actual motives.
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To dismiss or minimize the significance of something by means of an explanation or excuse.
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To make something rational or more rational.
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(mathematics) To remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.
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To structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles.
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To explain rationally.
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To rationalize one's behavior.
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Origin of rationalize

Rationalize Sentence Examples

  • Herodotus of Heraclea struggled to rationalize mythology, and established chronology on a solid basis.

  • This will help you rationalize and accept your place here, I believe.

  • Deidre tried to sort through her emotions and rationalize them.

  • Gabriel wanted to say something to her, to apologize, to rationalize what happened … He felt like he was on the verge of snapping, unable to settle the turmoil of his emotions.

  • Their criticism amounts to nothing more than a crude attempt to rationalize the current legends and traditions connected with the founding of cities, the genealogies of ruling families, and the manners and customs of individual peoples.

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Words near rationalize in the Dictionary